Redemption
by goofnutgav
Summary: I never thought my life would turn out this way. I'm an ordinary 22 year old man thrown into a extraordinary situation-transported from 2018 New Hampshire to 1938 New Orleans. Trapped in the past, I was forced to steal to survive. It was not until I met a dog named Charlie and discovered that I can talk to animals, that I started a journey of self discovery and faith.
1. prologue

New Orleans, Louisiana, February 28, 1939.

Pain, that's the first word that comes to mind as I lay on the floor, on my back, bleeding out from being shot twice.

 _'How did it all go so wrong? How did my life turn out this way?'_ I thought in agony while looking up at the ceiling, remembering everything that had led up to this point: waking up in New Orleans decades in the past; being forced to steal to survive; meeting a German shepherd mix con artist named Charlie; discovering that I can talk to animals; being taken in as an apprentice con artist; saving a dachshund named Itchy from his abusive owner and becoming friends with him; meeting a pit-bull Terrier mix named Carface; Charlie, Carface and I going into business by opening a casino; and living the good life until Carface framed Charlie for murder and tried to have me killed.

 _'Yes, that's where it all started to go wrong,'_ I mused, feeling angry at the unfairness of what had just happened—of being betrayed and left to die.

 _'Carface, that son of a bitch. I can't believe he ordered his men to kill me,'_ I raged inwardly since Carface always seemed greedy but I didn't know how greedy he was, or how far he was willing to go.

"Oh God, Charlie," I said weakly, horror filling me as I remembered a few of Carface's men carrying a drunk Charlie away somewhere during a Mardi Gras parade before I was taken home.

 _'I need to find them, Lord only knows what they're doing to Charlie right now,'_ I thought in horror as images of my mentor and friend being tortured and killed fueled my anger and determination.

"Come on, Gavin, you need to get the hell up _,"_ I gritted out in determination and pain.

Slowly, I started to move, biting back groans of agony as I turned onto my stomach and pushed upwards with my hands and knees, slowly getting back up on my feet.

Standing up slightly hunched over, I pressed one of my hands onto my injuries.

 _'Gotta provide pressure, just need to find Charlie now and pray it's not too late. I swear, when I get my hands on Carface, I'm gonna make him regret stabbing us in the back.'_ I thought darkly as vengeance and hatred fueled my strength to keep moving. I stumbled to the front door where I saw a mirror out of the corner of my eye and l looked at my reflection.

 _'Jesus, I look like shit.'_ I thought as I stared at myself in shock, seeing my face looking bone-white, my hair was a mess, my glasses were hanging unevenly with one of the lenses cracked, and the front of my shirt and my vest were covered in blood.

' _God, I look like I've been through a war_ _zone,'_ I thought while I was in shock and I kept providing pressure on my injuries, moving toward the front door. I grabbed the knob and slumped against the door.

"Made it, now I just need to open the door." I groaned and grabbed the knob and turned but the door didn't budge.

"What the hell?" I said in disbelief as I turned the knob again, only nothing happened.

"No, Goddammit!" I yelled in frustration, this can't be happening! I was so close! Carface's thugs must have nailed the door shut. Turning around, I slid to the floor and started sobbing.

"I'm so sorry Charlie. I failed to save you and now I'm gonna die alone," I sobbed, tears running down my cheeks.

Out of frustration I threw my head back and yelled, "Screw you, Carface, I hope you burn in hell!"

I hanged my head and felt regret and guilt for everything bad I had done in my recent life.

"I'm so sorry, Mom, I'm so sorry I wasn't a good son. Please forgive me, God forgive me for my sins," I whimpered, laying my head against the door, then I smelled something faint.

"What the hell?" I said in confusion since it smelled like something was burning and I weakly stood up while gasping in pain.

 _'It smells like it's coming from outside,'_ I thought uneasily as I heard a crackling noise and like the burning smell, it was coming from outside. Feeling dread, I struggled to the window and looked outside.

"No, oh God no," I spoke softly in terror, my eyes grew wide with fear as I saw a huge fire roaring on my front porch and consuming everything as it headed to my front door.

 _'Those sick bastards are trying to burn me alive! I need to get out, now'_ I thought, feeling completely horrified while I panicked.

I turned around and headed to the nearest window, gasping as I limped to the kitchen window and desperately tried to open it but it wouldn't budge.

"Why the hell isn't it budging?!" I screamed in fear and looking more closely, I saw the window was nailed shut.

"No no no," I whimpered, trembling in fear as I moved around the room to check the other windows and prayed that one of them was not nailed shut, but no luck. I checked the other doors, but like the front door, they wouldn't open.

"This isn't happening, this isn't happening," I began to sob in terror, immediately limping back to the kitchen window and out of desperation, I punched the glass.

"Ow, that was not a good idea!" I hissed in pain, shaking my hand and then the reality of the situation hit me. There was no way out, I was going to die here all because Carface decided to cut out the middleman and keep everything for himself. I felt acceptance of the knowledge that I was going to die here and it felt peaceful.

' _Charlie, I hope to see you in heaven soon. Itchy, I'm sorry we won't be there for you, but live your life to the fullest. Carface, I hope you burn in hell for your sins,'_ I thought as I fell on my knees and clasped my hands together before praying with a solemn expression.

Meanwhile, the house started to collapse from the fire but I paid no mind to the approaching blaze and kept repenting. Next thing I knew, the roof caved in with debris hitting my head and pinning me to the floor until everything went black and I knew no more.


	2. Chapter 1

Manchester, New Hampshire, March 1, 2018

I was sitting on the couch in the living room, watching TV, watching the President promise to meet with the Dictator Kim Jong Un to negotiate denuclearizing North Korea's weapons program. I scoffed, seeing the president looking so smug on TV.

 _ _This is why I hate politics.__ I thought bitterly, glaring at the screen. In case you were wondering who I am, my name is Gavin McCall. I'm nothing special, just an ordinary 22 year old trying to survive in this messed up world of ours. I kept watching, feeling disgusted at what the President is trying to do to this country.

"Screw it" I said turning off the TV, getting up and heading to the bathroom. I went in and shut the door. After doing my business, I turned on the water and started washing my hands. I looked in the mirror and saw an average looking male with short brown hair and brown eyes, wearing glasses to help with my bad eyesight. My gray t-shirt was tucked into a pair of jeans and covered by an unzipped hooded jacket. A pair of Converse sneakers completed my casual look. While wiping my hands with a towel, I thought about the current events happening around the world.

"God, this entire world is going to hell," I mumbled wearily, exiting the bathroom. As I passed the living room window, I stopped and looked outside. It was a beautiful day. People were walking their dogs and jogging. Kids were playing and laughing. I smiled seeing the kids having fun.

 _ _God, when was the last time I had fun outside?__ I thought sadly. I was so worried about the current political climate that I didn't stop to think that worrying was a waste of time and that I should go out and have fun.

 _You know, what the hell. I'm gonna go outside and take my mind off of current events,_ I thought in determination. Grabbing my keys, my wallet, and my phone, I headed out of my apartment, walking out into the nice day.

It was nice feeling the cool breeze across my face. I headed to the park to relax and enjoy myself. Arriving at the park, I went and sat down on a bench and spent some time watching people engaged in their activities.

I thought nostalgically, __This reminds me of when my mother took me to the park to have fun.__ _T_ hen sorrow set in as I remembered my mother's passing. Feeling my eyes watering up, I sniffled and shook my head, not wanting to remember the day she passed, and thought, _I hope you're happy Mom, wherever you are._

Letting out a shaky sigh, I got up and started to walk. Suddenly, I was hit with a wave of nausea. _Ugh, what the hell?_ I groaned as my head started spinning. _I haven't felt this sick in years._ " I rapidly began to feel like I was gonna pass out.

 _ _Oh God__ _,_ I thought. People were staring at me in confusion as I staggered toward home, feeling like I was moving under water. My legs felt like jelly as I stumbled and fell to my hands and knees.

"Sir, have you been drinking today?"

I realized someone was speaking to me. I turned my head slowly to see a concerned looking police officer and groaned, "Not drunk. Need help" I heard him faintly as he called for an ambulance.

"...medical emergency at the park, requesting 10-27, code 3..."

I couldn't think-black spots were dancing in my vision. I slumped to the ground and everything went black.


	3. Chapter 2

New Orleans, Louisiana, March 1, 1938

Oh, my head. What happened? I was groggy and I felt sore all over.

I was disoriented and confused. I slowly opened my eyes and got a look at my surroundings. I was sitting in the dark, leaning up against a small brick building, only about the size of a closet. There were other buildings the same size all around me. I could barely see in the dim moonlight, but I could tell I wasn't in the park anymore.

 _How the hell did I get here?_ I wondered. The last thing I remembered was passing out in the park.

Okay, this is weird. Where am I? I guess I'm not gonna find out sitting here. I better take a look around—I need to get my bearings _._

I stood up painfully, my body aching from the effort. I grimaced as I looked around. There seemed to be pathways between these weird little buildings. I chose one and followed it until I reached a wall, it seemed to be about eight feet high.

 _Where there's a wall, there must be a door,_ I reasoned to myself, and began to follow the wall until I found a fenced opening. __Okay, time to see where I__ _am._ _I_ cautiously approached the opening, which I discovered was locked. Off in the distance, I could hear music and a large crowd, and see lights.

 _What the hell,_ I thought, hiking the locked fence, _I might as well go check that out. I've got nowhere else to go._

Making my way a few blocks in the darkened streets, I saw the outlines of cars that looked really old-fashioned.

 _Maybe they are having an antique car show,_ I mused as I approached the crowd. As I got closer to the light I could see people walking by, dressed in vintage clothing, complete with fedora hats on every man I could see. Maybe they were dressed in costume for the car show.

As I approached the street where the noise and bright lights were coming from, I had a surreal feeling that something was wrong. I couldn't see any modern cars anywhere I looked. What I did see was an enormous crowd of people cheering on a parade of large floats, stretching back down the street as far as I could see. Many people were in bizarre costumes, dancing along with the parade floats, some carrying torches.

It suddenly hit me. I knew for sure I wasn't dreaming, and something was really wrong. Everything looked liked an old movie reel from the 1930s, except in color. Had I traveled back in time? Ducking into a doorway, I leaned against a wall, and tried not to hyperventilate. I grabbed my head and bent over to slow my breathing.

Trying hard not to panic, I thought, __What in God's name is happening? Where am I? WHEN am I? How did I get here?__

I don't know how long I stood there bent over, trying to slow my breathing. It felt like hours had passed but it had only been a few minutes when I was able to calm down and try to figure out what had happened.

I remembered leaving my apartment and going for a walk in the park. I remembered feeling sick and starting back for home, when I fell and a police officer called for an ambulance for me. I remember everything going black and I woke up here. Maybe I haven't woken up and this is all a really vivid dream.

Just then, a couple walked by, and the man jokingly said to me, "Hey Mac, have too much to drink?"

I replied, "I don't feel well—what day is it?"

The woman said, "Why it's Mardi Gras!" They laughed as they walked on toward the parade.

As they passed me by, I could smell his cigar smoke wafting back toward me, and I realized that I had never had a dream where I could smell things. I don't think I'm dreaming, but I don't know what the hell is happening. I must be in New Orleans, and it must be early March, but what year? Could I really have traveled back in time?

 _First things first,_ I thought, _Whatever has happened, I can't go around dressed like this-I'll stick out like a sore thumb, and I'm gonna need money to survive."_ It would take time to get a job, so only one solution seemed practical. I would have to steal what I needed.

Feeling guilty for what I had decided to do, I realized I had no other choice. I needed money quickly, otherwise I wouldn't last long. I'll die of starvation if I don't make the hard choice.

With so many people crowding the streets, I realized that this was as good a time as any. Searching down the darker side streets, I went looking for a store I could break into. Within a few blocks, I found a department store where I knew I could find clothing and some money in the registers.

I looked around carefully, and seeing no one nearby, I quickly broke the glass of the front door. Once inside, I made sure the door was closed so nobody would notice the broken glass, and I took a look around. There was a cash register on a nearby counter, so I went over to see if I could open it. I pushed the no sale button and the drawer popped open. Feeling guilty, I scooped up all the cash. I spotted a pile of maps near the register, so I stuffed one in my pocket. Near the pile of maps, I spotted a newspaper on the counter and picked it up to check the date. What I saw shocked me. The date was March first, 1938. I whimpered in disbelief. 1938? Somehow I had gone back in time eighty years!

Even though my head was reeling, I knew I had to get some clothing and get out of there fast. I got a shopping bag out from under the counter and went looking for the men's clothing section. I found a coat and hat that would allow me to blend in. Then, grabbing a few pairs of pants and some shirts, I ducked into a changing room and dressed in the new clothing. On my way out of the store, I grabbed some underwear, socks and a pair of shoes and put my new wardrobe into the shopping bag.

Pausing at the broken front door, I looked outside to make sure the coast was clear. Headlights were rapidly approaching that would give me away, so I turned around and ran toward the back of the store, looking for another exit. I slipped out the back door, thankful that burglar alarm technology wasn't very advanced in 1938. I didn't see anyone as I walked down the street.

 _Thank God!_ I thought in relief. The last thing I needed was to be mugged by some thug lurking around. As I walked down the darkened street, I started thinking about what else I needed and how to come up with a plan to get home.


	4. chapter 3

New Orleans, Louisiana, April 2, 1938

I exited the flophouse where I had been staying for the past month and headed to the soup kitchen to get dinner.

After robbing the department store, I looked for a temporary place to stay. After searching for a few hours, I found a cheap hotel where I could stay until I figured out what the hell had happened. I paid for a week and went upstairs to my room, where I practically collapsed from exhaustion, landing on the bed.

As I was lying there I thought about my situation. I had no idea how I got here or how to get back to modern times or how this was even possible. I had to get used to my situation because I was trapped here for the foreseeable future, so the most reasonable thing to do was to tough it out, because I could be stuck here for the long haul.

As the month passed, I got adjusted to living in the 1930s. It was weird seeing no modern tech or clothes that I was familiar with from my time, but I eventually got used to it so that it didn't bother me much anymore.

I had been walking on autopilot, so I was quickly shaken out of my thoughts when I nearly crashed right into someone.

"Hey pal, watch where you're going!" the man said in irritation. Quickly apologizing, I ducked past him and kept moving.

 _I need to pay attention. That could have ended badly._ Scolding myself, I approached the soup kitchen and headed inside.

 _Oh_ _Jesus_ _this place is packed today. S_ taring in disbelief, I saw people in lines that stretched out from the cafeteria to where I was standing.

 _Oh great, let's hope I can still get a meal today._ I grumbled in displeasure and waited for the line to start moving.

* * *

Two hours later I walked out feeling full, putting a dinner roll in my pocket that I had saved for later.

 _Thank God there was still food I could eat._ I thought gratefully. The sun was descending and the street was getting dark. I walked quickly, not wanting to be outside after dark and risk getting mugged.

I was almost home when I heard a loud crash coming from nearby. Startled, I whipped around in the direction of the noise and looked to find the source of the commotion.

There was a trash can knocked over and something was rummaging through it. I couldn't get a good look, but from what I could tell, it looked liked an animal of some kind.

 _This is a bad idea._ I thought nervously. Gulping quietly, I approached the animal to get a better look, but staying at a safe distance just in case it was rabid.

The animal was a dog-a lanky German shepherd mix to be precise. From what I could tell, he looked to be about seven months old, and looked like he had been through a lot living on the streets. One of his ears had two tiny pieces of flesh missing, indicating that he had been in a fight at least once, and the other ear was tilted forward at a cocky angle. His fur and tail were shaggy and I could see that he had brown eyes. Strangely, he was wearing a red ball cap. Watching him dig through the trash, I concluded that the dog was hungry. Feeling sorry for the poor animal, I took the roll out of my pocket, kneeled down and softly called out to him, being careful not to startle him.

"Here boy," I said gently, holding out the roll so he could see it. The dog looked up and saw me and started growling warily.

"It's okay, I'm not gonna hurt you." I gently encouraged him, "You look hungry. Here, I have a tasty dinner roll you can have."

Eyeing the roll suspiciously, the dog cautiously approached me. Hesitantly sniffing the roll, he moved slowly, but in a sudden motion, he snatched the bread out of my hand and started wolfing it down, his tail wagging happily.

"There you go. See, that wasn't so bad now was it?" I said, smiling and petting the canine while he was busy eating.

"I wish I knew what your name was," I said as I patted him. Licking his chops, he looked at me and did something that stunned me.

"At least there are some nice humans," the dog said, sighing contentedly.

My eyes bulged out at hearing the dog speak English, and I stared at him in shock.

 _Did that dog just freakin' talk?_ I questioned my sanity in disbelief. I thought things were crazy before, but this was insane. Somehow I thought this dog was talking right in front of me, actually speaking English without a care in the world. I was certain I was losing my mind.

 _I've gone crazy. Yes that's it. I've officially lost my mind._ I was trying to rationalize what I thought I had just heard. I stared at him with my mouth hanging open. The dog looked puzzled.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" said the dog, looking uncomfortable. I gaped at the human-like expression that was etched on the canine's face. A dog's face shouldn't be that expressive. It was impossible.

"Umm, Mr. Human are you okay?" he said, cautiously touching my leg with his paw. Yelping in surprise, I quickly stood up and backed away, which caused the dog to jump back in alarm at the same time.

This was way too much. Turning around, I ran away in denial of what I had just seen.

* * *

The dog stared as the human ran away in a panic. He wondered what had just happened and why the man had run away from him.

 _It's not my breath, I know that much. To my knowledge, I don't have any fleas, so what could have caused him to flee in terror?_ The canine thought in confusion back to what had caused the man to flee in panic, and realized that the man had started freaking out after he spoke.

 _Did he understood what I said? How is that possible?_ The canine thought in wonder, then he narrowed his eyes and decided to track the human down and figure out what was going on.

 _I will get to the bottom of this or my name isn't Charlie B. Barkin._ Charlie thought in determination and began sniffing the air. When he caught the man's scent, he followed it in the direction of the where the man had fled.

* * *

I bounded up the stairs and ran to my hotel room, fumbling for my keys. I frantically unlocked and opened the door. Running inside, I shut the door and leaned against it, hyperventilating as I slid to the floor.

 _Did that really just happen or am I losing my mind?_ I was trying to calm down, but I couldn't deny what I had seen, much less heard-a dog was flat out speaking English! It seemed impossible, but somehow it really happened.

 _How is this possible? How can i understand what that dog said? I don't know what to believe anymore. First I travel in time, and now I can understand animals? It seems so unreal, what just happened._

 _I need to calm down or I'm going to have a stroke._ I remembered a breathing technique that could help. I focused on my breathing, inhaling for 4 seconds, holding my breath for 4 seconds, then exhaling slowly for 8 seconds. As I slowed my breathing, I thought some more about what I had just experienced.

 _I can talk to animals. It seems impossible, but I can talk to animals. I had thought time travel was impossible, but it happened, so what's next-heaven and hell existing?_ I felt overwhelmed by everything I had experienced.

When I heard a scratching noise on the door I was slumped against, I froze.

 _What was that?_ Nervously and cautiously, I got up and looked out the peephole. There was no one around from what I could tell, but I could still hear something scratching at the door.

I put my hand on the handle and gulped.

"This is a bad idea," I mumbled. Steeling myself, I slowly opened the door and cautiously looked, bracing myself for what could be lurking outside.

I couldn't see anything. I looked left and right but there wasn't anyone nearby.

"Hey Kid-down here," a familiar voice said impatiently. Slowly looking down, I saw the dog I ran away from earlier, sitting in front of me, staring in annoyance.

"Finally! I thought you'd never notice me," he said in irritation. Rudely, he brushed past me and jumped up on to the bed.

"Listen Kid-we need to talk," he said seriously, staring at me with narrowed eyes.

Little did I know that this was the start of an amazing friendship.


	5. Chapter 4

New Orleans, Louisiana, April 2, 1938

We stared at each other for what seemed like hours but only a few minutes had passed. If there was a word to explain the atmosphere, tense would be the first word to come to mind.

"Okay Kid, seeing as how this is getting awkward, how about I introduce myself? My name is Charlie B. Barkin. So how about you tell me your name." He said feeling uncomfortable from the silence that was filling the room.

I didn't say anything, I just continued to stare at Charlie, feeling my mind starting to break at the stress of trying to wrap my brain around a dog talking right in front of me.

 _You're not real, you're just a figment of my imagination._ _I'm going to close my eyes and you're going to dis_ _appear_ _._ I was trying to rationalize what was happening to me at that moment. I closed my eyes, hoping that when I opened them, the dog wouldn't be there anymore.

After a few seconds I opened my eyes again, and to my horror, he was still on the bed staring at me in annoyance.

"Are you done with trying to wish me away?" He deadpanned, looking at me unamusedly.

I gaped at him. I wasn't going crazy, this was actually happening. Somehow I was actually hearing this dog speaking right in front of me-it was the only explanation.

"You're talking. You're actually speaking to me," I spoke softly in awe. This was incredible! I was understanding what this dog was saying. How this was possible I didn't know, but I could no longer deny what I was seeing and hearing right in front of me.

"So he finally speaks! Jesus Kid, I thought I'd have to smack the crap out of you to snap you out of it," Charlie snarked, looking at me wryly.

Then the amusement vanished from his face and he eyed me seriously.

"Okay Kid, joking aside, I have a few questions I want to ask you. First of all, this understanding what I'm saying thing. How are you doing that? No other human can understand me, so what makes you so different? Oh, and what's your name?" He asked, staring at me critically.

"I don't know. I'm just as confused as you are. Oh, and my name's Gavin McCall," I said, introducing myself.

"Well Gavin, pleased to meet you. Like I said before, my name's Charlie B. Barkin, businessman extraordinaire, and dashingly handsome to the dames." He spoke arrogantly with a smirk.

 _Is this guy for real?_ I looked at him with a deadpanned expression. He was going to be one of those types-people who think the world revolves around them just because they think they are better than other people.

"Yeah sure. Nice to meet you too Charlie," I said unamusedly.

I can tell already that I'm not going to like him. He seems to be one of those arrogant types that rubs me the wrong way.

Suddenly, I heard someone banging on the door. Startled, I turned around and looked through the peephole. There was a man standing outside looking tired and pissed off.

"I think you'd better answer that," Charlie said, smirking.

Shooting him a quick glare for his smartass comment, I braced myself and opened the door to see what this man's problem was.

"Can I help you sir?" I asked, looking at him.

"Yes you can Mac. You can start by shutting up that damn mutt of yours-his barking is driving everyone crazy, including me. Some of us are trying to sleep here," he growled, looking like he wanted to strangle me.

"Oh, I'm sorry if he's being too loud. We just arrived in this city and he hates moving to a new place, so I'll make sure to keep him quiet," I said, smiling sheepishly.

"You better, asshole. 'Cause if I hear that dog one more time, I'm gonna have the manager kick you and that mutt out of this place." He glared at me threateningly.

"Sure Buddy. I'll keep that in mind. Have a nice night, and again, sorry for the noise," I said, nodding politely.

He scoffed and went back to his room, grumbling in irritation. Once he was out of view, I shut the door, turned around and looked at Charlie, who was grinning at me in amusement.

"What? Why are looking at me like that?" I snapped in irritation, glaring at him.

"Oh nothing, it's just that you pulled a fast one on that schmuck. I'm impressed that you were able to fool him so easily." He smirked.

"I don't know what you mean by that, so can you get to the point?" I asked suspiciously, wondering were he was going with this.

"Okay Kid. Look, from what I can tell you got talent-a way with words, and I like that. But even better, you can understand me. So how about this, I take you in and teach you everything I know on how to survive on the streets. In return, you help me run some scams. Since you understand me, we could pull off scams that nobody would ever expect. And maybe, just maybe, we can find a way to make some serious dough. I mean let's face it, you're not exactly living in the penthouse right now, but if you stick with me, who knows? Maybe you'll be somebody one day. So what do you say?" Charlie propositioned with a sly grin.

I didn't know what to think. On one hand, he's offering to change my life for the better. On the other hand, I could be getting involved in something that could potentially get me killed. So many scenarios ran through my head on what could happen, I could wind up living a successful life, or I could wind up imprisoned or dead. Either way, Charlie's right. I was living in a crappy hotel, barely surviving on crappy food. This was no way for a man to live. The way I saw it, Charlie's proposal looked like the better option, and who knows, maybe it'll turn out alright for me.

I looked at Charlie, who was eagerly waiting for my answer.

"Okay, I've come to a decision, I decided to take you up on your offer." I was about say more when I was rudely interrupted.

"Glad you made the right choice Kid," Charlie said, looking pleased that I decided to say yes.

"Not so fast Charlie. I'm not finished," I snapped, glaring at him. He pouted and let me continue.

"As I was saying... Yes, I'll take you up on your offer. But I need to know if I'm going to get involved in anything life-threatening. If it's something like someone getting killed, deal's off plain and simple," I emphasized with a stern look, letting him know just how serious I was about this.

"What? God no, Kid. Killing someone? What do you take me for, a thug? No, nothing like that, Jesus." Charlie looked disgusted.

Seeing him react like that convinced me he wasn't going to do something that extreme, which filled me with relief.

"Okay, that's good to hear. So it's a deal?" I asked, holding out my hand.

Charlie's tail began wagging as he put his paw in my hand, and we shook on it. That was it. There was no going back, I was in this now for better or worse.

"It's a deal," Charlie said. "Know what, Kid? I see great things happening in our future. Great things indeed." He looked pleased to have a new apprentice.

It was not until a year later that his words would come back to haunt me.


	6. Chapter 5

New Orleans, Louisiana, April 29, 1938

I was walking alongside Charlie and his two friends Spike and Toodles.

It has been almost been a month since I agreed to the deal Charlie offered me. Once Charlie was done shaking my hand he took me to his hideout to introduce me to his gang called the rovers.

* * *

 _Arriving at a junkyard, Charlie guided me to a rundown building and knocked on the door. After sounding a weird rhythm on the door with his paw, a male voice spoke out from behind the door._

 _"Password?" the voice asked mockingly. Needless to say, Charlie wasn't amused.  
_

 _"Okay Toodles, if you're done being a smartass, how about you let us in?" he deadpanned, looking unimpressed._

 _"Us? Who's with you? Don't tell me you decided to take in a stray," Toodles asked suspiciously._

 _"Oh, for God's sake Toodles, open the door before I decide to break it down," Charlie snapped in irritation. That seemed to motivate whoever Toodles was, because the door opened and I got a look at who the voice belonged to._

 _Toodles was a bulldog with gray fur and a white underbelly. Like Charlie, he was wearing a hat-a brown cap. He was about to say something when he spotted me._

 _"Charlie, why the hell did you bring a human here? Better question, what possessed you to even think that it was a good idea?" Pissed off, he snapped at Charlie._

 _"Damn it Toodles! Will you shut the hell up? The reason why I brought the human here will be explained shortly. But for now, go get Spike-he'll need to hear this too," Charlie growled in annoyance as we brushed past Toodles through the door._

 _"Okay, but you owe us an explanation Charlie," Toodles growled, glaring at Charlie, before turning around and exiting the room, leaving the two of us alone._

 _"God, what an asshole," I grumbled, glaring in the direction the pitbull went._

 _"Yeah, Toodles can be a knucklehead at first, but he's alright once he gets to know you," Charlie said trying to placate me._

 _"If you say so," I said with a sigh. I looked around and saw that the room was filled with ratty furniture on a torn-up carpet._

 _We were still waiting when I heard Toodles coming back. I could hear another voice, who I concluded was Spike. I saw Toodles entering the room with another dog._

 _This must be Spike, I thought, examining him._

 _Spike was a boxer hound with brown fur, a tan underbelly, and a large black spot on his back. He was wearing a bowler hat that completed his look. Spike was chatting to Toodles wondering what was going on._

 _"Okay Charlie, we're here. Now, what's the deal with this human you were talking-" he trailed off when he saw me._

 _He stared at me, at a loss for words, trying to figure out what to say. Finally he looked at Toodles in confusion, not knowing what to make of this._

 _"Don't look at me, ask Charlie. He's the one who brought the human here, God knows why," he said, looking at Charlie with narrowed eyes that demanded answers._

 _"Okay you two, you may wanna sit down 'cause what I'm about to tell you both is going to sound crazy and unbelievable, but it's the truth," Charlie said seriously. The two dogs, hearing the seriousness in his voice, nodded and sat down, staring at Charlie, fully attentive at what he was about to say._

 _Charlie, seeing them sitting down and paying attention, nodded in appreciation and started explaining._

 _"Okay, now that I have your attention, I want you both to listen to what I have to say. The reason I brought the human here is because he can do something incredible-something I wouldn't have believed myself if I hadn't experienced it," Charlie said seriously. Toodles and Spike looked at each other, then Spike looked at Charlie curiously._

 _"So what is this incredible thing the human can do?" Spike asked, looking skeptical._

 _"Yeah, what Spike said-that's what I wanna know too pal, so don't leave us hanging." As Toodles spoke, he stared at me in suspicion._

 _I saw Charlie brace himself, then he continued._

 _"Okay, the reason why I brought the human here is because he can-and I shit you not-understand what we are saying." He looked at Toodles and Spike, waiting to see how they would react._

 _They sat there stunned, staring at Charlie in disbelief, not knowing what to say to that. They stared at each other, then at me, then back to Charlie, and I started feeling concerned that what Charlie had said may have broken their minds. However, what they did next took me and Charlie completely by surprise._

 _They completely broke out in hysterics. Spike rolled around on his back, hiccuping and trying very hard to calm down, but when he looked back at Charlie, he would fall apart again, howling with laughter. Toodles was faring no better. The bulldog was on his stomach, roaring and smacking his paw on the floor in laughter. Charlie and I stared at each other with wide eyes, not expecting this reaction. Finally they calmed down and got up off the floor, still chuckling and gasping._

 _"Whew! Oh God, I haven't laughed that hard for a long time," Spike gasped, trying to slow his breathing._

 _"You said it, Spike. That was, by far, the funniest thing I have ever heard in my life-a human understanding animals! Complete bullshit! Okay Charlie, I don't know where you came up with that one, but that was hilarious. So why don't you tell us why the human is really here," Toodles said, chuckling._

 _Of course they didn't believe Charlie, what he said was completely nuts. Anyone would react the same way._

 _"But I am telling the truth and I can prove it," Charlie exclaimed, looking insulted because they thought he was lying._

 _"Oh really, you can prove that this human can actually understand what we are saying right now?" Spike asked skeptically._

 _"Yes I can. But how about one of you two prove it. Go talk to him and listen. He'll respond to anything you have to say, so go ahead try it," Charlie challenged._

 _Scoffing, the boxer approached me and sat down in front of me, mumbling about how stupid this was._

 _"Can't believe I'm doing this. Okay human, if you can really understand what I'm saying then what's your name?" he asked, staring at me with narrowed eyes._

 _"Well for your information Spike, my name is Gavin McCall and yes, I can understand everything you and Toodles are saying," I snarked. The Boxer's mouth dropped open and he gaped at me in shock. He slowly turned his head and looked at Toodles who was also staring in disbelief._

 _"What? How? I don't even..." Toodles eyes bulged as he stammered. Seeing the look on his face caused me to burst out laughing. I couldn't help it-his expression was priceless._

 _"Ha ha ha, Oh my God Charlie, the looks on their faces," I chuckled, wiping a tear from my eye. Charlie was grinning in amusement at seeing the two dogs' expressions. I could see that this was pure gold to him._

 _"I know Kid, this is hilarious to look at, but humor aside, we need to start getting down to business," he spoke seriously. Spike and Toodles snapped out of it and stared at me in wonder._

 _"Charlie how is this possible, how can this human understand us?" Toodles questioned Charlie, looking back at me in awe._

 _"I don't know. Hell, not even the kid knows how this is possible," Charlie said, looking at the bulldog seriously._

 _"Wait, this kid doesn't know why he can talk to us?" Spike asked in confusion after regaining his composure._

 _"No Spike, when he heard me talking for the first time he took off like a bat outta hell, I could tell he had no idea what the hell was going on," Charlie explained._

 _"It's true. I have no knowledge of why I can talk to animals, but for some reason I can," I said seriously, the bulldog and boxer looked at each other then they looked at Charlie expectantly._

 _"Okay Charlie, that's all well and good, but what's the real reason he's here? You wouldn't just take him into our gang without a good reason, so why is he really here?" Spike asked suspiciously._

 _"Glad you asked Spike. The reason why I decided to take him in, is because he is going to be my apprentice," Charlie replied with a smirk._

 _Toodles and Spike looked at each other uncertainly, not knowing what to say about that information. Then they looked back at the German Shepherd._

 _"Um, Charlie are you sure that this is a good idea? I mean, what if this backfires? I don't want be captured and taken to the city pound," Spike said hesitantly._

 _Toodles spoke out in agreement, "Yeah Charlie, Spike's right. I don't know about this. This could wind up biting us in the ass in the future."_

 _"Look boys, the reason I took McCall in as my apprentice is because something about him interests me. Not to mention that he's got a way with words and besides-think about it. With a human in our gang, we could come up with all kinds of new scams. So what do you say fellas?" Charlie asked with a sly grin._

 _The two canines huddled up and whispered about the proposition Charlie had offered them. I couldn't tell what they were saying, but if I had to guess, they were weighing the pros and cons of this deal. After a minute or two, they stopped and faced Charlie._

 _"Okay Charlie. Me and Spike have considered your proposal and we've come to a decision..." Toodles said formally._

 _I tensed up. Knowing that their answer could change my life for better or worse, I looked at Charlie and saw him waiting eagerly for their answer. The bulldog and boxer looked at each other and gave a nod which made me steel myself for their answer. This was it- they were either going to accept me or kick me out._

 _"We have decided that the kid can be a part of our gang, but on one condition," Spike said, looking at me._

 _"Of course there's a catch. There always is," I thought cynically._

 _"What did you have in mind?" Charlie asked in interest, looking at them in anticipation._

 _"Okay, if the kid wants to join us, he's going to need to prove himself, which is why he's gonna have to fight us." Spike said._

 _My eyes bulged at that. Fighting them? Are they insane? I've seen on the Internet what kind of damage a dog can do to a man in a fight, and the end results were not pretty for the human._

 _"Are you freakin' serious right now?" I exclaimed, staring at the boxer in disbelief._

 _"Hey, it's either this, or you can walk out that door. And besides, this is to show how committed you are. If you wanna join us, you're gonna need to prove how tough you are. You have to be tough if you wanna survive on the streets, Mac," Spike said to me in a tone that left no argument._

 _As much as I hate to admit it, he's right. If I wanna survive on the streets, I'm gonna have to harden myself, 'cause if I show any kind of weakness to the wrong people I'm a dead man. I gave a long sigh and came to a conclusion._

 _"Okay you two. I'll do it," I said with conviction._

 _"Excellent, Kid. Now get ready, 'cause this is gonna hurt," Toodles warned as he and Spike lunged at me._

 _I put my fists up in a boxing stance, bracing myself for the world of pain that was heading my way._

* * *

 _So yeah, that happened._ I had fought with everything I had and still got my ass handed to me by Spike and Toodles, due to their experience on the streets.

Finally, I got lucky and I managed to knock Toodles senseless with a good right hook, sending him straight to the floor in a daze. Spike, not expecting that, stared at the downed bulldog in shock. Taking advantage of the distraction, I grabbed Spike and threw him to the floor. He yelped as I pinned him down.

It was a struggle keeping him pinned down. Spike kept trying to wiggle himself out of my hold, but I stubbornly held on until he frantically yelled "Uncle! Uncle!" in surrender. Letting go, I stood up and backed away.

After the two dogs had regained their composure, they said I passed initiation and that I was accepted into the Rovers with open arms. As the month had passed, they taught me how to survive by stealing, cheating, and lying to other people.

They also taught me to never get attached to a mark, 'cause that was how any con went bad. At first, I felt somewhat guilty that I was becoming a criminal, but as time went by, it became easier. I couldn't afford to start having doubts or back out because that wasn't an option.

I became well-known to the other dogs in this city as the human who was in the Rovers, and became respected and feared on the streets.

I was shaken out of my thoughts when a dalmatian walked around a corner and bumped into Charlie, causing them both to grunt in surprise.

"Hey! Watch where you're going, asshole!" He growled in irritation until he got a good look at who he had bumped into, and horror filled his eyes.

"Oh shit, the Rovers" he whispered in terror as we glared coldly at him.

"Was I walking down your sidewalk again? Oh God, I'm so sorry. Please, I won't do it again, I swear." He begged, trying hard not to piss himself. I glared at the little shit menacingly, wanting to break his teeth for showing disrespect to us. Charlie raised his paw and the terrified canine shut his eyes and cringed, thinking that the German shepherd was going to knock him into next week. Charlie patted him on the head condescendingly.

"Nah. No harm done, Kid. Remember that the Rovers own this street, so never forget that, ya understand? Charlie warned and glared at him menacingly.

"Oh yes, of course. Thank you so much," he stammered in relief. As we continued walking, Toodles roughly shouldered the dalmatian, knocking the legs out from under him. To add insult to injury, Spike walked on top of the canine, nearly crushing him causing the Rovers to snicker while I walked by staring at the dalmatian dismissively.

"Well that was fun," Toodles said, smirking in amusement while Spike nodded and chuckled.

"Yeah, did you see the look on his face?" Spike asked, looking at me. "I thought that schmuck was gonna piss himself there for a second. Hey Gavin what do you think?" I put my hand on my chin in mock thought.

"Well to be honest, that did feel pretty satisfying-seeing him tremble in fear. Serves him right, cause when you cross the Rovers you can expect retaliation." I said with a smirk. We continued down the street, jumping up and crossing the roof of a car for fun.

We eventually walked by a house where two female dogs were lounging on the front steps.

"Hello ladies! What do you know, what do you say?" Charlie flirted, giving a charming smile. The girls looked at each other, giggling and blushing. Toodles and Spike walked up and stopped in front of the stairs.

"Hey sweet things-hows about giving me and Spike a kiss." Toodles flirted, as he and Spike closed their eyes and puckered up. I rolled my eyes and stood there waiting to see what would happen.

 _Oh this I definitely gotta see._ I thought, smirking in amusement.

The ladies looked at each other and responded by slapping the two boys across the muzzle, causing them to take a step back. The girls huffed in disdain and headed into the house with their noses in the air.

"Ha, you two got burned. Serves you both right." I commented, grinning in amusement. Toodles and Spike shot me a quick glare before the three of us continued walking, quickly catching up to Charlie who was waiting impatiently at the end of the block.

* * *

Later, we were passing by a department store when Toodles said, "Isn't it time to eat? I'm getting pretty hungry Charlie." Now that he mentioned it, I noticed my stomach was grumbling. I looked at Charlie, wondering where he could get us some food.

"Don't worry boys, the Rovers are having lunch-it's in the bag." Charlie slyly looked at a woman sitting outside a Cafe with a large sandwich on the table in front of her. I felt my mouth watering at the sight of the sandwich.

"Oh my God, that looks so delicious. So what's the plan Charlie?" I asked my mentor, curious as to what he had in mind.

"Okay you three, listen up. Here's what we're going to do." he said, and started to explain the plan.

* * *

"Oh, thank the Lord, I've been waiting all morning for this," I heard the elderly woman say, while me and Charlie were standing nearby. The plan was simple, yet brilliant. Toodles and Spike would distract her and I would pretend to help her while Charlie made off with the purse.

When we saw Spike and Toodles walk over and put their front paws on the table and start barking, I knew it was my cue to go help.

"Bad dogs! Get your own sandwich! This is mine. Go on, shoo!" she exclaimed, trying to protect the sandwich with one hand while shooing the dogs away with the other. I ran up and tried to help her by pretending to "scare" the dogs away. In the confusion, I saw Charlie snatch the purse and run off. Seeing Charlie take off, Spike and Toodles pretended to be afraid of me and took off in the other direction.

She looked at me in gratitude. "Thank you, young man. I was afraid those dogs were going to get my lunch. What is this world coming to?"

I replied, "It's no problem, Ma'am. I'm just being a good citizen. You have a good day now." I turned around and started to walk away.

"Wait one second, young man. Let me give you a piece of candy. I always have some in my purse for my grandchildren." She turned to reach for her purse and realized it was gone.

"Someone stole my purse! Help!" She started shouting, her lunch forgotten. Other people in the cafe started looking around and I knew I had to get out of there quick.

I turned back to her and said, "I'm so sorry, ma'am, let me find a police officer for you. Stay right there." I took off down the street with no intention of returning.

As I was running, I heard someone else call to a police officer from across the street. I kept running and caught up with Charlie a few blocks away. Eventually we stopped in a park and took a breather.

"Whew, we did it." I gasped, doubled over and breathing hard. Panting, Charlie didn't say anything, but nodded in agreement.

After slowing my breathing, I looked up and saw Spike and Toodles approaching. Charlie, calming down, looked at the three of us and smirked.

"Well boys, we did it. Oh, and Gavin-good work back there. Not bad for your first job." He congratulated me while looking proud.

"Um, well thanks, Charlie," I mumbled, blushing from the praise. Suddenly I heard snickering, and saw Spike and Toodles looking at me with shit eating grins on their faces.

"What? Why are you two staring at me like that?" I questioned, eyeing them suspiciously.

"Oh nothing, it's just that you look so funny with your face all red," Spike teased, grinning in amusement.

"What?! I do not!" I shouted, my right eye twitching slightly.

"Yes you do, and besides, consider this payback for laughing at us earlier when me and Spike got slapped by those two dames." Toodles said smirking.

I sputtered and turned to look at Charlie for help. To my horror, he was also grinning in amusement.

"They're right Kid, you do look hilarious. I've never seen a human's face turn that red before," he commented, chuckling.

Embarrassed, I turned away and glared at the fountain, grumbling "traitors" under my breath. When I looked back, I saw that they were still staring at me in amusement.

"Okay, if you three are done with messing with me, we need to get rid of this purse before the cops find us," I said seriously, and the three dogs nodded, all traces of humor gone.

"He's right," Charlie said, "Let's get back to business."

I pulled the wallet out of the purse and dug through the rest of the contents, finding an envelope with an expensive-looking ring in it.

"Wow, will 'ya look at that?" said Charlie, "Let's head over to Frankie's place. I know he's gonna give us something for that ring," Charlie said, tossing the purse into some nearby bushes.

"Oh Jesus, Frankie's place? Are you serious right now?" I complained, giving Charlie an expression that said, "really?"

"Come on Kid, seriously. Are you really gonna start that up again? Why do you always got to start bitching whenever we decide to go see Frankie? What's your problem with him?" Charlie groaned in annoyance, shaking his head.

"My problem is that I don't trust him. Whenever we go there, he's always staring at me with this look that I don't like-like he's always planning to rip us off. I just have a bad feeling about him," I said, glaring in the direction of where Frankie lives.

"God damn it... Look, Kid. If you don't trust him that much, then head back to the hideout. But listen carefully-if you do decide to come with us then button it up, 'cause I'm really getting sick of your complaining." Charlie snapped in irritation, glaring at me.

I glared back and then I sighed. He's right-as much as I hate to admit it, but he's right. My suspicions weren't helping, they were only causing problems and a headache for everyone. Taking a deep breath, I looked at Charlie, who was still staring at me in irritation.

"Okay, fine. I'll button it up, but don't say I didn't warn you if he does decide to rip us off." I said, leaving no argument.

Satisfied, Charlie and the others (and reluctantly) myself headed in the direction of where Frankie lives, hoping to get something good from him. I, on the other hand, was not so eager.

 _I just know that this is not gonna end well._ I thought, feeling uneasy.

* * *

We were approaching Frankie's Butcher shop, heading to the front door as Toodles was talking about the woman we stole from.

"That dumb broad thought we actually wanted the stupid sandwich?" The bulldog asked, chuckling.

"Yeah, but the Rovers have a much better source for food, however," Charlie said as we entered the store. At the counter, I rang the bell and Frankie came through the curtain from the back room, into the store. He was a man in his thirties, wearing a red sweater that was covered with an apron, along with blue jeans and work boots. A skull cap on his head completed his look. When he saw me, he smiled sinisterly.

"Gavin McCall. Pleased to see you again. So what have you and your mutts brought me this time?" he asked, looking at me in a way that made my skin crawl.

"Here you go Frankie. Don't say I didn't give you nothing," I said, handing him the ring. His eyes lit up with greed as he looked at me with a grin.

"Thank you kindly McCall. Now here's a tasty reward for you and your pooches," Frankie said with a look that gave me a bad feeling. He ducked under the counter and grabbed a smoked turkey leg. He put it down on the carving board and chopped it up into four little bits and handed them to me.

"Pleasure doing business with you McCall," He thanked me mockingly. I looked at the four pieces of meat in disbelief-all four fit in my hand at once, and from what I could see, they weren't enough to feed me and the guys.

"Frankie, what the hell is this?" I questioned, feeling anger building up.

"That's your reward. Don't like it, Mac?" he asked, smirking. I stared at him in fury, pissed that this son of a bitch was trying to rip us off.

"You're damn right, I don't like it, Frankie. What the hell is this shit," I seethed, glaring at him with murder in my eyes. The disgusting excuse for a man just grinned at me, looking amused.

"You really think I'm going to give you and your mutts something good for a measly ring? Unless you can give me something better, I'm afraid this is all you're going to get. Bring me something really big and I'll give you a good deal. Nothing personal McCall, It's just business," he stated smugly.

 _This was unbelievable! That bastard is trying to cheat us! He is so going to pay for that._

"You'll regret this Frankie. I swear to God you will. No one-and I mean no one-screws with me," I snarled at him, feeling livid, wanting to wipe that smug grin off his face.

"Have a nice day, McCall." Frankie said mockingly as he pulled a gun out from under the counter. "You know I'm the only fence in town, so you'll just have to settle for what I give you." As much as I wanted to beat the man to a bloody pulp, I knew that if i lunged at him it would only get myself killed. So i forced myself to turn around and leave. I stomped to the door and shoved it open, storming outside. I started breathing slowly to try to calm down as Charlie and the others exited the shop and approached me.

"God what an asshole! You okay Kid?" Charlie asked putting his paw on my leg, "I guess you were right about him."

"Yeah I'm fine, I'm just so sick of doing this small time stuff," I grumbled, feeling calmer.

"I hear you Kid, I'm tired of it too." Charlie sighed, looking weary. The four of us walked away from the butcher shop, a few seconds later Toodles spoke up.

"What do you two mean by small time stuff? We're on top of the world! We're Rovers!" He said, he and Spike looked at me and Charlie in confusion.

"I don't know. I just want something more y'know, not this errand boy shit." Charlie said depressingly.

"I know just how you feel Charlie I... Hello... What have we got there?" I trailed off in distraction. The three canines looked at me in confusion until I pointed at what I saw. It was the perfect thing we needed to get a good deal from that greedy bastard. When they looked at the window I was pointing at, Charlie perked up.

"I think Gavin just found our first big score. Nice work Kid," Charlie said to me in glee while looking at the diamond necklace in the jewelry store window across the street.

"Fellas, if we wanna make it big, that will do it," I stated, smirking. From what I could see, the door had bars, so breaking the glass wasn't an option. I needed to get closer and scope the place out.

"Oh my God, boys with that diamond we can get that giant juicy slab of beef I saw earlier." Charlie spoke, his tail wagging in excitement. While we were sizing up the storefront for weaknesses, a customer went into the store and began speaking with the owner. Together, they walked to a cabinet full of jewelry, where the owner removed a key ring from his pocket and unlocked the case so they could look at the rings inside.

"Damn it. We can't get to any of that jewelry without unlocking the cases. Tough break you two," Toodles said in frustration.

I replied, "No, we just need to get those keys and we can open any case we want. You guys stay here, I'm going to go over there and case the joint. I'll be back in a few minutes."

I walked into the store, casually looking around for any other way to get inside, carefully checking out the locks on the cases full of jewelry.

Distantly, I heard a woman's voice say, "There he is officer! That's the dog that stole my purse!"

I turned toward the window to see where my friends were, just as the door burst open and all three of them tumbled inside in a panic and all hell broke loose. I jumped out of the way when Charlie nearly knocked me over, running past me and toward the owner, yelling, "Go out the back, boys!" All three dogs, barking madly, ran at the owner and the customer, jumping up on them and scaring them out of the way. I knew that woman would recognize me too, so I ran for the back door and took off like a bat outta hell, close behind the other Rovers.

Charlie took the lead, zig-zagging down streets and past houses, until I yelled, "Guys, we gotta split up! Spike, Toodles you two go that way!" Nodding The bulldog and boxer immediately went down a side street leaving the two of us on our own. Meanwhile, Charlie and I continued down the block, hearing the police officer behind us, shouting at us to stop. We gained a little distance on the out-of-shape cop, and Charlie suddenly dove into a hedge with me quickly following behind, we landed in a yard and hid while catching our breath.

We were waiting for the cop to pass by when Charlie motioned his head to the ground, i looked and saw the key ring that was right in front of his paws.

 _That clever bastard._ I thought with glee.

When Charlie jumped at the jewelry store owner he must have pick pocketed him and snagged the keys.

I grabbed the keys and slipped them into my pocket, it seemed like nothing could go wrong until out of nowhere a dachshund ran up to us, yelling, "Hey you two! What are you doing here? This is my yard! You don't belong here!"

 _OH JESUS WHAT NOW?_ I yelled internally, feeling like karma had it out for me and Charlie.

Charlie desperately tried to shut him up as the cop approached, but he wouldn't stop barking. Charlie and I huddled behind the tall hedge, not making a sound while the cop and the jewelry store owner approached. The owner said, "That's just my dog, he never shuts up. Don't worry about him." They ran past the house where we were hiding and kept going.

Charlie and I breathed a sigh of relief as we both turned to the dachshund. He was wearing a blue bowtie with yellow polka dots, looking None too happy to be seeing us in his territory.


	7. Chapter 6

New Orleans, Louisiana, April 29, 1938

The dachshund kept trying to make us leave, but Charlie and I ignored him and gave each other a knowing look.

I recalled the jewelry store owner saying that he was the owner of the dog that was currently yapping at us.

" _This is perfect,_ _since this little guy belonged to the jewelry store owner. It's very possible that he might know of a way inside,"_ I thought with a sly grin. Charlie was giving me a subtle nod, showing me that he also had the same thought. We looked back at the dachshund that wouldn't shut up.

"Hey are you two deaf!? I said get outta here! Go on-make like Houdini and disappear!" he shouted in irritation, glaring at us for ignoring him.

"Whoa! Whoa! Calm down buddy! We didn't mean to trespass. We were just playing hide and seek, that's all." Charlie explained, trying to placate him.

I hoped he had bought Charlie's excuse, 'cause if he didn't, the owner's next door neighbor would come to investigate and if that happened, we would be screwed. Luckily, the dachshund perked up and his tail started wagging.

"Really? You're playing a game with my master? Can I join?" he asked excitedly.

" _Wow, I can't believe he bought that so quickly. This little guy is_ _so_ _naive-lucky us."_ I mused in relief, " _This was perfect, since he was so naive we could use that to gain his trust, and get him to let us inside the store_."

Me and Charlie stood up and nodded to each other, deciding to take this opportunity that's practically been handed to us on a silver platter.

"Yes kid, we were playing a game, but unfortunately it's over now, so I'm sorry." Charlie said with a fake apologetic frown.

"Really? Shoot, I was really looking forward to it too." The dachshund said sadly, looking down in disappointment.

"Hey cheer up buddy. Just because hide and seek is over, that doesn't mean we can't have fun." Charlie said with a convincing smile.

"You're serious? We can still have fun?" The dachshund asked, looking up at Charlie with a hopeful gaze.

"Of course we can," Charlie said with a warm smile that fully convinced the smaller dog.

"Oh, thank you so much! My name's Itchy Itchiford. So what's yours?" He asked looking at Charlie.

"Nice to meet you Itchy, my name's Charlie B. Barkin," He stated, introducing himself.

Itchy then looked at me with a questioning gaze and asked "Hey Charlie, who's the human that's with you? Is he your owner?"

"No Itchy he's not my owner, he's my friend, and he can do something that will shock you. Well, Gavin you wanna say something to him?" Charlie asked me, which caused Itchy to give him a weird look.

"Charlie are you suggesting that this human can understand us? What a bunch of baloney! No human can understand what dogs are saying. It's impossible." Itchy said, still looking at Charlie with skepticism.

Charlie looked at me and nodded and I opened my mouth to prove him wrong.

"You say humans can't understand what dogs are saying, then what do you call this? Oh, and my name's Gavin McCall-nice to meet you Itchy Itchiford." I said, looking at him wryly.

Itchy stared at me in disbelief, gaping in shock, completely at a loss for words. It was not until a couple seconds later that he regained some composure and looked at Charlie.

"What in the...Charlie how is this even possible?" Itchy asked, still looking at me in shock and awe.

"I don't know. Gavin's just as confused as you are about this, and he's been with me for about a month now." Charlie explained, while I nodded in agreement.

"He's right. We haven't found out the reason why I can understand you guys. Somehow, I can understand everything animals are saying," I said, shrugging.

"Wow, that's incredible!" Itchy marveled, "Is it all animals, or just us dogs?"

"Mammals and birds so far," I explained, "thankfully not bugs. I wouldn't be able to handle that."

"Really?" Itchy tilted his head in puzzlement, "Why wouldn't you be able to handle bugs?"

"Ugh. Let's just say I had a bad experience with a spider once. Bugs creep me out enough already," I said with a shiver, "I don't want to know what they are thinking."

"Come on," Charlie encouraged with a mischevious gleam in his eye, "Now you have to tell us. You can't just leave us hanging like that."

"God dammit, look. It was a traumatic incident." I flushed in embarrassment as I explained angrily, "I was asleep in my bed one night and I woke up feeling something on my face. It was moving toward my mouth..." I broke off as the other two dogs collapsed in hysterical laughter.

"Will you two shut the hell up?" I snapped indignantly, "I gave myself a shiner trying to get it off my face!"

Those two a-holes laughed even harder as I tried to justify my story. "I was young, okay?"

Charlie gasped out, "What, were you like 6 years old or something?"

"I was seventeen, you ass hat!" I roared, "and I still sleep with the sheet over my head!" As they laughed even harder, I bellowed, "I said I didn't want to talk about it!"

Charlie and Itchy were both rolling on their backs, legs up in the air, helpless with laughter. My face burned in embarrassment, and I felt like I wanted to cover both their faces with spiders and see how they liked it.

Finally, Charlie gained enough breath to ask, "Did you scream like a sissy girl?" and fell back into laughing, tears streaming down his muzzle.

"Okay, that's it! Conversation's over!" I fumed while the two of them struggled to regain their breath and stop laughing.

* * *

After what seemed like a very long period of time, Charlie and Itchy finally regained their composure and were able to speak normally again.

"Are you two done?" I asked dryly.

"I'm sorry Kid, I've never laughed that hard in my entire life," said Charlie, still chuckling while attempting to apologize.

Itchy interjected, "Wow, you guys are a lot of fun! What else can we do?"

"Glad you asked," Charlie said to Itchy, with a wink in my direction. "See, me and Gavin are a part of a club that not many dogs know about. You can join us on one condition." Charlie propositioned with a trusting smile.

"Oh? What kind of condition?" Itchy asked. And that's when I knew that we had him hooked and it was time to reel him in.

"Well the condition is this: lose the bowtie," said Charlie.

"It's not exactly club material," I said, staring in distaste at the tacky thing that was around his neck.

"Really?" Itchy hesitated, "but my master gave it to me. It feels wrong to just toss it away, even though he can be a real jerk at times."

Hearing him say that threw up red flags in my head. _What did he mean by his master being a jerk?_ I thought in concern. I decided to ask him about it, hoping that he wasn't saying what I thought he was saying.

"Itchy, what did you mean by your master being a jerk?" I questioned. Charlie also seemed interested by what he meant by that. Itchy was hesitant to say anything, which was understandable because dogs by nature are loyal to their masters. Itchy seemed reluctant to say anything bad about his owner and chose his words carefully.

"Well, my master yells at me and bullies me sometimes, and sometimes he won't feed me when he is mad," he explained sadly, which confirmed my suspicions that this little guy was being abused.

 _That explains why he looks a little thin, poor guy._ I thought staring at him in sympathy, I looked at Charlie who was also giving him the same look I was.

"But Kid, if he treats you like crap then why are you staying here? Why don't you just run away from this awful place?" Charlie questioned, surprised that Itchy didn't just run away even though he was being treated like shit.

"Because I'm loyal that's why. No matter how badly he treats me I'll always be by his side," Itchy said in conviction.

I felt a tiny bit of respect for him. He was willing to go through hell just to stay with his abusive owner. That kind of dedication was rare to find in this world.

"You know what Itch, you're a good kid. That kind of dedication is just what we need in our club, so how about it?" I asked with a smile, liking his attitude.

Itchy looked at me and Charlie, and with a smile he ripped the bowtie off his neck and tossed it to the ground.

"Bet that felt good, didn't it?" I asked, giving him a grin.

"Yes it did Gavin, but I feel kinda naked, so I need something to wear," Itchy said, looking uncomfortable.

I thought about what he could wear to fit in, until i saw Charlie's hat and decided that it was perfect for Itchy. Charlie looked at me and I saw that he came to the same conclusion.

"Hey Charlie, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" I suggested with a knowing look.

He nodded in agreement and tipped his head down so I could remove his ball cap. I then kneeled down and put the ball cap on Itchy's head. Itchy was about to say something when the bill of the hat slid down and covered his eyes.

"Help! Who turned out the lights? I can't see!" He exclaimed, whipping his head around in a panic. Charlie and I laughed at the funny sight while I moved to adjust the size of the hat.

"Itchy calm down, the hat's just a little big on you, that's all. Hold still and let me fix that." I said. He stopped moving his head long enough for me to adjust size and then flip the ball cap around so that it was facing backwards.

"There we go. Feel better now Itch?" I asked. He nodded in appreciation, and thanked me.

"There. Much better. You definitely look like you'll fit in, so how do you feel?" I asked in anticipation.

He nodded eagerly. "Good. Really good."

Charlie and I nodded and smiled at Itchy.

"Do you have a clubhouse? Is it far from here?" Itchy asked us.

"Yes, we do have a clubhouse, but unfortunately it is a bit far from here. On the way, there's a park that's not too far from here where we can have some fun. What do you think Itch?" Charlie asked him, the two of us eagerly awaiting his answer.

"Gee, I don't know. My master has always told me that leaving the yard was dangerous and that something bad would happen to me if i left." Itchy said hesitatingly, looking wary and uncertain.

"Listen Itchy. I'm gonna be straight with you. Yes it can be dangerous, but if you stick with us you'll have nothing to worry about." I encouraged gently.

"Okay... If you're really sure? Then I'll go with you two," Itchy said, Looking at us in determination. Pleased, Charlie and I gestured him to follow and the three of us left the front yard and went down the street.

* * *

Three hours later

"Oh boy, is this city park fun!" Itchy said to Charlie and Me. "You two are right-going out on the town is really great! This has been really nice, but I have to get back home before my master notices I'm gone." Itchy said to Charlie and me.

"What's the hurry Itch? We still have the rest of the day, so let's not waste it and have some more fun." I said convincingly. We couldn't let him leave, otherwise the plan to get inside the store could be ruined. "Why don't we head back to the clubhouse so we can show you around."

"Aw guys, I'd love to, but I really need to get home. If my owner knows I left, there'll be big trouble for me." Itchy said sadly.

"Why would you want to back to that? I understand you're loyal and all, but your owner should deserve that loyalty by treating you right. From what you've told us, it doesn't sound like he deserves it," said Charlie.

"Charlie's right," I agreed, "You're in our club now. You can stay with us. We take care of our own."

Tears welled up in Itchy's eyes and he said timidly, "You mean I never have to go back?"

Charlie put a paw around Itchy's shoulders and said solemnly, "No. You never have to go back. You're one of us now. Let's go to the clubhouse and we'll get you set up with a place to stay."

Tears welled up in my eyes too, as I realized the enormity of Itchy's decision to come with us.

"Okay. Let's do it," Itchy said decisively.

The three of us turned and headed for the clubhouse, all touched by our new friendship. Charlie and I smiled at each other over Itchy's head as we walked out of the park, grateful that we could help Itchy out of his bad situation.

* * *

A short time later, we arrived at the junkyard. As we approached the house, we saw Spike and Toodles sitting in front of the door, waiting for us.

Spike stood up, saying, "Geez, where have you guys been?" as Toodles stood up and joined him.

"Hey fellas. What do you know, what do you say? Charlie greeted them with a sly grin. The two dogs looked like they were about to say something until they spotted Itchy, exchanged a brief puzzled glance, then looked at Charlie and me in confusion.

"Boys, in case you were wondering who this is, this is the newest member of the Rovers-Itchy Itchiford," Charlie introduced with a wink.

Spike and Toodles were suspicious at this new turn of events, so I made a small gesture with my right hand that sent them a subtle message to play along. Their eyes widened slightly in realization and they smiled in welcome.

"Oh really? Well, we're always looking for new members, so nice too meet you Itchy. I'm Spike and this is Toodles," Spike said. Even though he spoke convincingly, I could still see the suspicion in his eyes.

"Yeah, it's nice to have someone joining our club. Good to meet you Itchy. You're always welcome to stay here if you want.," Toodles said putting on his most sincere smile.

"Thanks you two, it really means a lot coming from you both." With a shy smile, Itchy looked down at his paws bashfully.

I saw Toodles and Spike glance at each other with a look that said neither of them were happy about this new development.

I could tell Charlie caught the look between Spike and Toodles too, but said cheerfully, "C'mon inside Itchy, let's get you settled in your new home."

The look between Toodles and Spike intensified and gave me a bad feeling.

Once inside, Charlie said to Itchy, "Here's the main room-we spend most of our time here. Make yourself at home." Itchy looked around, taking it all in and chose a comfy place to sit.

Faking politeness, Spike said, "Itchy will you excuse us? Me and Toodles need to talk to Charlie and Gavin upstairs, if that's okay with you."

"Sure Spike, I don't mind at all," Itchy said, "don't let me get in your way."

"Okay Itchy, just wait here, we won't be gone long," Charlie said as we walked up the steps to my room, leaving the Itchy alone to adjust to his new surroundings.

I shut the door behind us as we entered the room at the end of the hall. Spike and Toodles stared at Charlie and me with a very pissed off expression that demanded answers.

"Okay you two, you wanna tell us what the hell is going on?" Toodles asked, "And why is that runt here? 'Cause this better be good. Toodles demanded suspiciously, giving us a narrow look.

"Fellas, the reason why Charlie and I brought Itchy here is because we discovered something that'll really help us all out," I explained in a placating tone.

"Oh?" said Spike sarcastically, "What did you uncover that is so spectacular that you couldn't be bothered to check with us before making a huge decision like this? First you bring home Gavin and now this guy-what the hell is going on? I thought we were all equal partners!"

"You two better back off," I interjected, "There's a good reason Charlie and I brought Itchy here. If you can stop getting your dander up before you know what's going on, maybe we can explain it to you." I glared at them both menacingly for a few seconds as if to challenge either of them to speak again. When I felt sure they would stay quiet, I turned to Charlie and said, "Okay Charlie, why don't you explain it to these two knuckleheads."

Charlie acknowledged me with a nod and continued, "Boys, that little runt, as you called him, belonged to the owner of the jewelry store we were casing this morning-at least until we made him a member of this club. We wound up in his yard while we were being chased by that flatfoot, and found out that he was being abused by his owner. It didn't take much to convince him to come with us so we could use him to get us into the store for the heist."

Spike and Toodles realized the plan was really good, which calmed them down somewhat, but Toodles said grudgingly, "Sure, it's a good plan, but you still should have asked us first."

"We didn't have time to consult with you two. We had to make a decision quickly when we realized that the solution to our problem appeared out of nowhere." I defended our actions to these two morons who weren't able to see the brilliance of this plan past their own selfish egos.

Realizing that this plan was a done deal whether they liked it or not, Toodles started questioning us on the details.

"So no shit? We actually have a way inside that jewelry store?" Toodles asked suspiciously. Charlie and I nodded. "Okay," Toodles challenged, "We can get into the store, but we still can't get into the locked cabinets where the jewelry is."

I pulled the keyring from my pocket and smugly shook them right in Toodles' face. Spike and Toodles' eyes widened as they looked at us in amazement.

"Well I'll be God damned. What are the chances of all of this falling into place so quickly?" Spike looked at me enviously. "You really do have the luck of the Irish."

"Yeah. Really, really bad." I stated with a smirk, the four of us gave a quick laugh at my comment, but all traces of humor quickly vanished from our faces.

"Okay guys, joking aside, we need to work on this plan, but first, we need to work on Itchy and make him feel welcome," I said with a thoughtful frown.

"He's right, we have everything we need to carry out the heist, so the only thing we need to do is to gain Itchy's trust," Charlie said with a sly grin. "And to do that we need to pretend to be his friends. Once the time comes, he will let us inside the shop without even realizing that we are going to rob the joint."

Charlie was right. Now all we had to do was to slowly gain Itchy's trust. Once we do, we will make quick work of this heist and leave the store pretty bare once we were done with it. The owner was going to be in for a big surprise when he opens up the shop the next morning.

 _He's never going to know what hit him._ I thought, smiling mischievously.

Even though the plan seemed foolproof, I still had a feeling somewhere in the pit of my stomach that something would go wrong.

* * *

New Orleans, Louisiana, May 15 , 1938

It was nighttime and the five of us were walking up to a culvert in a wooded area, just about to pull the heist. Well Charlie, Spike, Toodles, and I were going to rob the joint, but Itchy didn't know what we were planning as he took us to a tunnel that led to the basement of the store. Itchy had told us about accidentally getting trapped in this tunnel when he was a puppy.

It's been two weeks since we had begun working to gain Itchy's trust. After the four of us had discussed the plan, we went downstairs and showed Itchy his room and told him to make himself at home. I found him a green shirt that he could wear to make him look more like a street mutt so he would feel like he fit in with us. Itchy was happy with his new life, and as the weeks passed by, we slowly gained his trust by spending time together and having fun.

When he told us that we were his best friends, that's when we knew that we had him hook, line, and sinker.

Yesterday, we suggested to Itchy that we could help him write a letter to let his former owner know that he was okay. Itchy was still feeling a little guilty for leaving, but he definitely didn't want to go back, so he thought our idea was a good one. I said that one of us could leave it in the store for him, but we couldn't let the jeweler see us because he would call the cops, so we had to find a way to sneak in. Itchy perked right up and proudly told us he knew a way to get in that we could use when the store was closed.

Which leads us to where we are right now. Itchy took us to the pipe and showed us an opening that looked big enough that all of us could fit through.

"Well fellas, here it is. What do you guys think?" Itchy asked, looking at us in anticipation.

"It's perfect Itch, this tunnel big enough for all of us to get through. Boy is your master gonna be surprised when he sees the letter we're going to leave him," I said feeling somewhat guilty for lying to him.

 _Wait, why am I feeling guilty?_ I thought in confusion. I shouldn't be having any doubts because that was how things go wrong. I was trying to figure out why I felt this way when the reason dawned on me and I started getting nervous.

I've broken the one rule a con man should never break-I've gotten attached to a mark. Getting emotionally involved was a dangerous thing to do, 'cause getting attached was the surest way to start screwing up.

I saw that Charlie had the same look of guilt. This was not good. We had to act natural fast or Spike and Toodles would notice something was wrong, and there was already enough tension between us. At the very least, weakness was never tolerated in the Rovers.

"Okay fellas, let's do this. Gavin, you go get the grate open since you're the only one that has opposable thumbs," Charlie said to me with a wink.

I gave a nod and grabbed the bars and struggled to open it.

"God damn it, this sucker won't budge," I grunted in exertion, pulling with all my strength. A few seconds later I backed away, breathing heavily.

"Okay, safe to say this thing isn't opening any time soon,". I panted out, doubled over with my hands on my knees.

"Well shit. How are we going to get it open if it's not budging?" Spike asked in disappointment.

"Just give me a minute you guys-I'll find us a way in," I said in determination. Fully standing, I took a moment to examine the drain for any weaknesses.

From what I could tell the bars looked pretty solid, so kicking it open was not an option. I was starting to lose hope on getting this thing opened until the padlock caught my attention.

 _I think i just found us a way in._ I thought gleefully. The lock was completely rusted over and looked weak. I came to the conclusion that a few solid hits with a blunt object would break it and I would be able to open the grate.

Looking around on the ground I saw a good-sized rock and picked it up, testing its weight.

 _Oh yeah, this thing will definitely do the job._ I could feel how heavy and solid it was. I looked at the others who had the same thought I did.

"You fellas might wanna step back, 'cause this is going to get loud," I warned, raising the rock above my head.

I swung down, smashing the rock against the lock a few times before it broke, falling to the ground. I opened the grate and looked at the others with a smile.

"See guys. I told you I would find a way in," I said victoriously.

"And you sure as hell did. Well done Gavin," Charlie praised, looking at me proudly.

"Okay Itchy, since you know this tunnel, you'll be the one to lead us into the store," I said. Itchy nodded and headed into the tunnel, beckoning us to follow him. The four of us filed in behind him.

* * *

When we reached the end of the tunnel, I moved ahead and pushed the grate up, moving it aside and peering out cautiously. After making sure nobody was around, I pulled myself up and looked around while the others climbed up right beside me. We were in some kinda basement full of boxes lying around. I saw stairs to my left that went up into the store.

We made it, Itchy directions were spot on. Now it was time to clean the place out. I signaled to the others to wait so that I could check upstairs and make sure the coast was clear.

Heading up the stairs, I slowly opened the door a few inches and looked left and right. As I suspected, there was nobody around working late, so I turned around and went down the stairs, looking at the others who were eagerly staring at me.

"Okay everyone, it's all clear," I whispered, "Itchy, you stay here. Everyone else with me." They all nodded in understanding except Itchy, who looked confused.

"What? Why can't I help you fellas out?" Itchy asked.

"Well the thing is, is that we need someone to keep a lookout down here," Charlie said, coming up with an excuse to keep Itchy from seeing us robbing the place.

A lookout? Me? Thanks guys, you're the greatest friends a dog could ever have," Itchy said with a grateful smile, which made it all the more difficult to keep lying to him.

The other Rovers and I nodded and entered the store, leaving Itchy in the basement, Charlie, Spike, Toodles, and I looked at all the display cabinets in awe. We looked at each other and nodded. I took out the keys and unlocked the cabinets, grabbing everything and putting it all into a bag I had tucked into my pocket, leaving nothing behind.

I then went to the window display and grabbed the diamond necklace and without anyone seeing, I slipped it into my pocket so in case anything happened to the bag, we would still have something to show for our efforts. When we were done we looked at the empty display cabinets, then we looked at each other and started snickering.

"Well boys, if all this won't convince Frankie to give us something good, then i don't know what will," I said gesturing at the bag with a grin, imagining the look on that asshole's face when I show him all this jewelry and demand new terms.

"Yeah Gavin, I can't wait to see the look on his face when..." Charlie trailed off and was staring behind us with an 'oh crap' expression on his face. Spike, Toodles and I were confused at first, until we heard a familiar voice say "Charlie, Gavin, Spike, Toodles, what are you doing?"

 _Oh shit._ I thought uneasily. Slowly turning around, I saw Itchy looking at us in confusion.

"Why are all the display cabinets empty? What's going on here?" Itchy asked, looking at us with eyes that demanded answers.

"Well you see, um..." I began, trying to come up with an excuse but Toodles beat me to it.

"You see Itchy, the real reason why we came here was to clean out the joint," Toodles said condescendingly. Spike chuckled in the background.

"What are you talking about? What do you mean by cleaning out the joint? What happened to the jewelry?" Itchy asked, wondering what was going on.

"Wake up dumbass. There was no surprise party. It was all a lie to get you to lead us into the store," Spike said with a sinister grin.

"But Charlie and Gavin, they..." Itchy was about to say more when he was rudely interrupted.

"Oh please. That whole thing about them being friends with you-they were playing you for a sucker just so we could rob this place blind," Toodles said with a mocking grin.

"Charlie? Gavin? Is this true?" Itchy softly asked, looking at us and hoping it wasn't true.

Charlie and I stammered, trying to say anything that could convince him otherwise, but our hesitation said it all.

"It is true! You both lied to me! You used me! I trusted you two!" Itchy yelled out in despair, tears running down his muzzle from pure betrayal. I couldn't say anything-the guilt was hitting me hard.

"Aw does it hurt? Serves you right for trusting a pair of strangers. So how about you beat it runt, we don't need you anymore," Spike said with a smug look.

"My master was right, I am a stupid mutt," Itchy mumbled with a broken expression, he slowly headed down to the basement and left us alone while Spike and Toodles were snickering.

"Well I'm glad he's gone. Now let's get to Frankie's and make a deal for that giant slab of..." Toodles was interrupted when a red light started flashing outside.

I carefully approached the window and peered outside. What I saw nearly made my heart stop. There was a police car parking in front of the store with it's roof light on. A cop got out and started carefully aiming at the window with his flashlight, his hand on the butt of his service weapon.

I pressed myself against the wall next to the window and tried very hard to keep calm. Someone must have been walking by when they saw us and immediately headed to a payphone to call the police.

I looked at the guys and mouthed that there was a Police Officer outside which immediately caused them to tense up.

 _This is really bad, we need to get out now. I'm not going to prison._ I was scared that this was happening. I ducked to the floor and headed to the other Rovers. I passed the bag to Toodles and he put it around his neck.

The four of us stayed low and headed down the basement. One at a time, we quickly dropped down into the tunnel. I went last, pulling the grate back into place over my head.

"Okay, Spike, Toodles, you two go first while me and Charlie keep a lookout," I whispered.

Nodding, Spike and Toodles went down the tunnel while Charlie and I kept an eye out. When we heard the front door upstairs open and the Officer announce himself, we whipped around and headed down the tunnel, following Spike and Toodles until we reached the exit.

Spike and Toodles had already exited the tunnel but the grate was back in place. I pushed against the grate to open it, but it wouldn't budge. When Charlie and I realized what Spike and Toodles had done, we were stunned. They had shut the grate and jammed it with an old pipe, trapping us inside the tunnel. Charlie and I stared at each other in shock at this sudden turn of events.

"Spike, Toodles, what the hell are you two doing?" I asked in disbelief. Seeing their nasty grins made me realize that Charlie and I had been screwed over.

"Sorry boys, but there's been a change of plans. See, Spike and I have decided that we don't need you both anymore. You have gotten attached to that little runt that left earlier, and we can't afford you two getting weak." Toodles said, which caused our eyes to widen. "Besides," he continued, "you planned all this without us, so apparently you don't need us either."

"That's right," Spike chimed in, "you really think we didn't see the look of guilt you two had earlier? We're not stupid, but on the other paw, you both are. You two broke the one rule you never should have broken, you got attached. You've gone soft on us and that type of weakness is not acceptable in the Rovers, so we have decided to split the profits two ways. Nothing personal you two, but you've shouldn't have gotten attached. You brought this on yourselves," Spike cruelly stated, staring at Charlie and me condescendingly before he and Toodles fled into the woods, abandoning us to our fate.

This was unbelievable, those bastards betrayed us and took off with our score! When I get my hands on them I'll make them wish they never crossed us.

"Those Goddamn backstabbing sons of bitches!" I seethed in rage. But as pissed off as I was, Charlie and I needed to find a way out fast or we were screwed.

* * *

Itchy was walking down the sidewalk with his head hanging low, feeling like the most stupidest dog on the planet. Just when he thought he found some good friends they turned out to be using him to rob his owner's store.

"I'm such an idiot," Itchy mumbled, feeling depressed. He thought about the two weeks he had spent with Charlie and Gavin and how much fun they had.

 _It was all a lie._ He thought bitterly. The only thing he could do now was head back home and pray his master was in a good mood, though considering the fact that his store had been robbed, it seemed pretty unlikely.

Suddenly something crashed into Itchy and he stumbled back a few steps. Looking up at what hit him, he saw Spike and Toodles-the two dogs that he never hoped to see again-glaring down at him.

"Get out of our way you little shit or we're gonna break every damn bone in your body. We should've just left you in that drain with Charlie and Gavin, then all three of you can rot," Toodles growled menacingly as he and Spike shoved him down and continued walking.

Picking himself up Itchy thought about what Toodles had said and realized that Charlie and Gavin were in trouble.

"Huh, serves them right," Itchy grumbled, knowing that Gavin and Charlie were getting what they deserved by being betrayed by their friends. Itchy looked to his left and saw his reflection in a window.

"What are you looking at?" the dachshund asked angrily, glaring at his reflection.

 _Are you going to leave them like that? If you do then you're no better then Toodles and Spike._ Itchy's conscience asked him.

"But they took advantage of me and used me for their own gain. Way I see it, they're getting what they deserve," Itchy said bitterly at his reflection.

 _So what if they did? Didn't you see the looks on their faces when the truth came out? They looked pretty guilty, don't you think? And besides, would you really be able to live with yourself if they did get sent to the big house and you didn't do anything to stop it? Just think about it._ His reflection said back.

Itchy thought about the fun times they had and looking back on it now he realized that they weren't faking it. They were actually having fun with him with genuine smiles. Earlier, when he found out the truth, Gavin and Charlie actually did look pretty guilty for lying to him. After considering what to do, Itchy came to a decision.

 _I can't just abandon them like that even though they used me. I'd be no better then Spike and Toodles if I did, and in in some weird way I still consider them my friends. Hell with it-I'll help them even though they're jerks._ Itchy thought in conviction, and started running back to the tunnel, praying that he was not too late.

* * *

I kept trying to kick the grate open, hoping that the pipe would break and we would be home free, but it wouldn't budge.

Eventually I stopped and leaned on the bars, feeling helpless.

So this is it. We're going to die in here all because Spike and Toodles decided to betray us and keep the profits for themselves. So much hatred and rage started filling me that I vowed to myself that when I got my hands on those assholes, they would be begging for me to kill them once I was done breaking every damn bone in their bodies.

"I can't believe those bastards stabbed us in the back like that. They'll pay for that, oh by God they will," Charlie snarled, looking like he wanted to tear Spike and Toodles apart for their grave mistake.

"Well wait in line, 'cause once I'm done with those assholes, you can have what's left of them," I said coldly, glaring at the woods in fury.

"What are we going to do now? Those sons of bitches betrayed us and left us to die, leaving us with nothing," Charlie said, looking resigned.

"Well... they didn't exactly leave us with nothing," I said with a sly grin, taking the diamond necklace out of my pocket and showing it to Charlie, causing him to gape at me.

"What in the, how did you...?" Charlie stammered, looking at me in shock.

"I took it from the window display while you guys weren't looking. I figured that you and me should have a little extra in case anything happened to the bag," I stated proudly. "As it turns out, something did."

"Gavin, you clever son of a bitch, well done," Charlie said in glee.

"Why thank you Charlie, I learned from the best," I said, praising my mentor.

Suddenly we heard something fast approaching from out in the woods. Charlie and I tensed up, thinking that it was Spike and Toodles coming back. When we saw who it was, it took us completely by surprise.

"Finally. I made it and just in time too," the figure said, coming into view. He stopped in front of the grate looking at us.

It was Itchy, he actually came back for us. I felt stunned that he was here, even though we had used him.

"Itchy, thank God you're here! Please help us. See that pipe that's jamming the grate? If you can remove it from the hasp then Charlie and I are home free, so help us please," I begged, staring at him urgently.

"Oh really? And what makes you think I'll help after what you two did to me? You both took advantage of me and used me for your own gain, so give me one good reason why I shouldn't just leave you two here," Itchy demanded, glaring at us distrustfully.

"Listen Itchy, we realized that what we did was wrong and that we are truly and genuinely sorry. You're right, we did take advantage of you, and if you decide to leave then we won't blame you for that, but please help us and let us out, we don't wanna die in here," Charlie pleaded to Itchy, trying to reason with him.

"Yeah and don't you remember us having all that fun? Charlie and I genuinely enjoying spending time with you. And what about back at the store when Spike and Toodles revealed the truth-we didn't lie to you then. I admit it, at first we just needed your help for the heist, but we really did get to like you and become your friends. We are really sorry that you got hurt, but we really need your help now. Don't be like Spike and Toodles and leave us in here to die," I pleaded, hoping that he would let us out.

Itchy started staring at the ground in uncertainty, thinking about what we just said. We hoped to God that he would decide to forgive us and let us out, because if he didn't help us we were screwed. The two of us waited for his answer. After what seemed to be a very long time, he looked back up at us.

"Alright, I'll let you out, but no funny business you two," Itchy said in a tone that left no argument. We nodded in agreement, then he removed the pipe that was jamming the grate.

After the hasp was freed, I pushed the grate open and Charlie and I exited the drain, relieved to finally be outside.

"Oh, that is so much better. Thank you Itchy, we really appreciate this," I said gratefully, with Charlie nodding in agreement.

"It's no problem. I'm just glad I can help," Itchy said. Charlie and I looked at each other and nodded before looking back at Itchy, wanting to know why he saved us.

"You came back after everything we did to you. Why?" Charlie asked in confusion.

"I don't know why, I guess it's because I wouldn't be able to live with myself if you guys were in trouble and I didn't do something about it," Itchy confessed, looking sheepish.

"But we used you, lied to you, hell we even betrayed you. Why would you wanna save us after everything we did to you? I mean don't get me wrong, we're grateful and all, but why would you do this for us?" I questioned, wondering what would cause him to think that saving us was a good idea.

"Like I said before, I'm loyal-It's just who I am. And somehow in a weird way, I still see you guys as my friends," Itchy said with a smile.

"You know what Itch? You're something else. Who knew that a sheltered yard dog like you would be full of surprises?" Charlie stated with a look of pleasant surprise.

"You should take a look inside of yourselves you two. You both may find out that you're full of surprises as well. I mean, who knows, you guys might not be as bad as you think," Itchy said wisely.

I didn't know what to think. Charlie and I betrayed Itchy in the worst possible way and he still came back and saved us. Most people wouldn't have done what he did. I was even touched that he still saw us as friends, even though we didn't deserve it after what we did to him.

"Well thank you Itchy, but listen, Charlie and I are gonna leave town for a couple of days until things die down. You wanna come with us?" I asked.

"What? But you two can't leave now. You both need to make things right. It's the right thing to do," Itchy said sternly.

"Are you serious? Look, in case you haven't noticed, me and Charlie are basically fugitives. The cops are gonna be looking everywhere for us in this city, so we need to lay low for awhile just until the heat dies down," I exclaimed, looking at Itchy like he was crazy.

"Gavin's right. We need to stay on the down low for a couple of days, at least until things cool down," Charlie said in agreement.

"Listen, I just saved you two from a slow and painful death. Way I see it, you both owe me for saving you and the only way you can pay me back is by making things right again," Itchy said in a tone that left no argument.

As much as I hate to admit it, he's right. Charlie and I do owe him for saving our asses back there and I don't like leaving a debt unpaid. Charlie and I might be con men but we do have standards. If we owed somebody, we payed it back in full.

"God damn it. Alright Itchy, what do you have in mind?" I asked in resignation, hoping that whatever he had in mind wouldn't come back to bite us in the ass.

 _Who knows maybe he has a good plan in mind._ I thought as Charlie and I started listening with interest.

* * *

New Orleans, Louisiana, May 16, 1938

Charlie, Itchy, and I were standing across the street from Frankie's shop, waiting for the cops to arrive. The plan was brilliant. I would call the police and give a fake anonymous tip that Frankie had committed the jewelry store robbery. The cops would show up and storm the place, and when they found the evidence they would arrest him and take him to prison. As for Spike and Toodles, as soon as the cops see them, they'll just assume that they belong to Frankie and have animal control ship them off to the city pound. As far as I could tell, Charlie and I would not only get back at Frankie for ripping us off, we would also get revenge on Spike and Toodles for stabbing us in the back. What was even better, was that we still had the diamond necklace. If we can find someone who wasn't as greedy as Frankie, we could sell it for a great price. All things considered, things were looking up for us. I heard sirens approaching and I smirked, knowing that those three assholes were gonna be in for one nasty surprise.

 _And here they are._ I thought, seeing three police cars arriving at Frankie's shop. Screeching to a halt, two officers got out of each car and all six of them pulled out their service weapons and carefully approached the front door.

After approaching the door, they stacked up and stormed inside, yelling at Frankie to put his hands up and get down on the ground. I saw one officer approaching Frankie who was on his knees with his hands behind his head. The officer cuffed Frankie as he was reading him his rights while the other officers searched the place and found the floor safe where Frankie stashes all of his stolen goods. Luckily for Charlie and I, it was open. One cop reached inside and took out the stolen jewelry. Frankie was hauled to his feet, taken out of the shop and put into the back of one of the cars.

Meanwhile, a white van with the words 'Animal Control' on the sides showed up and two men got out, each holding a snare pole in one hand and a muzzle in the other. Two cops walked over to them and led them inside the store.

After a while the four men exited the store with Spike and Toodles who were thrashing around, trying to get away. With the muzzles on, they couldn't chew the ropes around their necks. While Spike and Toodles were being dragged to the white van, they spotted us and their eyes widened in shock at seeing Charlie and me standing across the street staring at them with smug grins.

 _Payback's a bitch assholes._ I thought, while giving them a rude gesture. Spike and Toodles lunged at us in fury. Judging from their reaction, they must have realized that I was the one that ratted them out and got them sent to the pound.

After Spike and Toodles were loaded into the van, the dog catchers got in and drove away. I gave a mocking farewell by waving at them.

Seeing as how our part was done, the three of us quickly left before we were seen while the cops finished up.

As we were walking, we found ourselves in a park and stopped to rest.

"I can't believe that worked," Charlie said happily.

"But it did, and it's all thanks to Itchy here," I said, looking at the dachshund proudly, who was feeling bashful at the praise.

"Aw, thanks Gavin," Itchy mumbled while giving me a small smile.

"So what do we do now fellas?" asked Charlie, wondering where to go from here.

"I don't know Charlie. Seeing as how the Rovers are now officially disbanded, I guess we'll have to make it up as we go along," I said, frowning thoughtfully.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Charlie, I'm guessing you want your hat back?" Itchy asked Charlie, reaching to take the red ball cap off, until Charlie shook his head.

"Nah you keep it. You've officially earned it Kid," Charlie said with a smile.

"He's right, it looks good on you," I said, "Oh right, I almost forgot. What are you going to do now Itchy?" I asked.

"You know what? I've decided to stay with you guys. You were right Charlie, my master treated me like crap, so I decided that I'm never going back and I'll stay with you guys," Itchy declared in conviction.

"That was well said. You know what Itch? This could be the start of a beautiful friendship," I said. We walked back to the hideout, looking forward to what the future had in store for us.


	8. Chapter 7

New Orleans, Louisiana, June 14 , 1938

"Gavin, come on, time to get up." I vaguely heard while I was currently laying in bed.

I mumbled to whoever it was to leave and let me sleep, then I felt something wet move across my face. I groaned and slowly pushed the annoying furry thing away so that I could sleep in peace. When I didn't feel or hear anything bugging me, I gave a sigh of relief, got comfortable and started drifting off again. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain on my arm. My eyes flew open and I sat up quickly with a yelp.

Feeling startled, I whipped my head to the right and saw Charlie sitting on the floor next to my bed, looking amused.

"Awake now kid?" He asked wryly with a smug grin.

"Damn it, was that really necessary you asshole?" I snapped in irritation, glaring at Charlie while rubbing my arm.

"Hey, you wouldn't get up, so I had to bite you, and it worked didn't it?" Charlie defended.

"Well you got a point there. God, what time is it?" I said, yawning and stretching.

"Oh, about seven in the morning as far as I can tell," Charlie said while looking at my alarm clock.

I groaned, got out of bed, headed to the bathroom and got into the shower. While I was scrubbing myself I thought about how things had changed since Itchy decided to stay with us.

Ever since Itchy joined us Charlie and I taught him what to do and what not to do while surviving on the streets. One day we all decided to go into business and open up a casino, but we needed to find someone who had the connections to accomplish that, so every day for the past month the three of us kept our eyes and ears open, which brings us to where we are now.

 _I wonder why Charlie woke me up so early._ I thought while finishing up and putting on a clean pair of clothes. After I was done I looked at myself in the mirror.

I was wearing a white buttoned up, long sleeved, collared shirt and a red tie that was covered by a brown buttoned up vest. I wore brown trousers with a belt and a pair of wingtip shoes. My hair was nicely brushed, completing my look.

 _Damn. Looking sharp Gavin._ I thought with a grin while adjusting my tie and vest. Exiting the bathroom, I approached Charlie.

"So Charlie, why did you decide to wake me up this early?" I asked, crossing my arms with a frown.

"Glad you asked Gavin. I woke you up because I have found someone that can help us open up a casino. Now don't be pissed, but I brought him here so that you can meet him." Charlie explained.

I scowled at Charlie for not consulting me and going off on his own, making this decision without me. I sighed and decided to let it go for now.

"Okay Charlie, I'll trust your judgment for now but you owe me some answers." I said sternly while giving him a look that ended our conversation.

Charlie nodded and led me downstairs to the living room, where I saw Itchy chatting with an unfamiliar dog.

The dog was a gray male pit bull/terrier mix with a darker gray on his muzzle and underbelly. He was wearing a purple buttoned up shirt with the sleeves rolled up, an unbuttoned black vest and a green bow tie. The fur shade around his right eye and his ears was brown, completing his look. The dog and Itchy stopped talking when they saw Me and Charlie approaching.

"So you must be the human Charlie was talking about. Good to meet you, my name is Carface Caruthers." Carface introduced himself as I was shaking his paw.

"Nice to meet you too, Carface. My name's Gavin McCall and I gotta ask, why aren't you surprised that I can understand you?" I questioned, wondering why Carface looked so calm at the fact that I was talking to him.

"The reason why I'm not shocked is because you have become well-known among our kind as the human that can talk to animals. And to be honest, I wanted to see if the rumors were true." Carface explained. I nodded in understanding.

"Okay, fair enough. Well, seeing as how this is going smoothly let's start getting down to business. You have the connections to help us open up a casino?" I asked doubtfully.

"Yes I do, Mac, but the problem is that we need to find a location to set it all up. I asked Charlie and Itchy but they couldn't come up with anything, so I was wondering if you had any ideas?" Carface asked me.

I put my hand on my chin and wracked my brain for where we could find a place to set up our establishment, then I remembered an old ship that was located in a swampy part of the bayou that I had stumbled upon by accident when I got lost while exploring the city a few weeks ago.

 _"It's perfect. It's out of the way so the cops can't find it, but close enough so that dogs from all over the city can find it. All we need to do now is spread the word and we should have customers coming in from far and wide when we open for business."_ I thought with a grin.

I told everyone about my idea and they all perked up with a smile. I gestured for all three dogs to follow me and I led them to the ship.

* * *

"Well boys, here we are. So what do you think?" I asked in anticipation while Charlie, Itchy, and Carface looked up at the old ship in awe.

"Holy shit Gavin! This place is perfect for a casino. Excellent work." Charlie said in amazement.

"Why thank you Charlie. So Carface, are you satisfied with the location?" I asked Carface with a sly grin.

"Yes Gavin I am, so all we have to do now is spread the word." Carface said looking impressed.

"Hey guys, I have an idea. Why don't I take a picture to capture the moment?" I offered, which caused everyone to perk up.

"You know what Gavin, I think that's a brilliant idea. It would be nice to look back on this moment from time to time." Charlie agreed while the other two dogs nodded and smiled.

I turned around, heading to my car and opened the trunk. I grabbed my tripod and set it up in front of everyone, then I opened the glove compartment and took out a vintage camera before putting it on the tripod and setting up the cable release.

"Okay fellas get ready to smile." I said while I was heading back to everyone and standing in the camera's point of view alongside the others.

When we were all in position I said, "Everyone smile." The four of us started grinning before I hit the cable release and the flash went off, blinding us for a second.

"Well boys, what do you think?" I asked while grabbing my camera and putting the tripod away.

"Oh boy, I sure can't wait to see how we look in the photograph," Itchy answered while beaming at me in excitement. I gave a nod and looked back at the ship, feeling like this was a dream come true.

But dreams have a nasty habit of going bad when you're not looking.


	9. Chapter 8

New Orleans, Louisiana, November 18, 1938.

With a grin I was sitting in my office, slowly counting a large stack of money.

 _"Now this is the life. Hard to believe it's been almost a year since I woke up with nothing and now look at_ me. I'm _a proud co-owner of this establishment_." I thought with glee.

After Charlie, Carface, and I opened for business, we spread the word through a few of my contacts and before we knew it, dogs from all over the city showed up. Business started booming and our casino quickly became very popular in the last five months.

I frowned as I thought about Carface. For the past five months I had started noticing a subtle change in Carface that made me feel uneasy. He seemed to be getting greedy. And, out of the corner of my eye, I'd seen him giving me and Charlie a look I didn't like.

 _"Something's up with Carface. I don't know what it is but it's giving me a bad feeling,"_ I thought, feeling tense. I looked at the clock on the wall and started wondering where Charlie was at.

"Where the hell is he? Charlie should be back by now. Knowing him, he's probably out gallivanting with some dame," I grumbled, rolling my eyes at Charlie's womanizing antics.

Suddenly I heard a knock on my door. I got up from the desk and answered it. Staring up at me with a nervous expression was a tan-colored American Schnoodle, wearing glasses and a spiked collar.

"What do you want, Killer? Is there a reason why you're knocking on my door?" I asked with an intimidating frown, causing Killer to start trembling.

"Yes, there is a, um, reason Boss. It's Itchy, he uh, wants to speak to you urgently." Killer stuttered out, flinching, looking like he thought I was going to hit him.

 _"Jesus Christ Killer, grow a backbone for God's sake,"_ I thought with a deadpan expression before replying, "Okay, send him over."

Killer nodded and frantically scrambled away from me, nearly crashing into a poker table, causing the dogs currently occupying it to shout at him in irritation.

 _"Why the hell did Carface decide to hire him? I'll never know,"_ I thought, shaking my head at the pathetic display and chuckling under my breath.

I went back inside my office, took a seat and a couple seconds later Itchy came running into my office, slid to a stop and stared up at me with complete panic in his eyes.

"Yes, can I help you? Don't knock on my account." I said sarcastically, but I felt concerned at seeing Itchy looking so shaken up.

"Gavin...Charlie...Big trouble...need help." Itchy gasped out, sounding incoherent.

"Whoa Whoa Whoa, Itchy slow down and take a breath. I can't understand what you're saying," I said, quickly gesturing him to calm down.

Itchy took a couple of deep breaths and I started feeling worried at what had gotten Itchy so riled up. Then I recalled what he had barely said to me.

 _"Wait, Itchy said that Charlie was in big trouble and that he needs help. Oh Jesus, Charlie. What the hell did you get yourself into this time,"_ I thought uneasily, a sinking feeling forming in the pit of my stomach.

"Okay, I'm calm now." Itchy said, looking less panicked and more relaxed.

"That's good, now please tell me what the hell's got you so shook up and what's this about Charlie getting into trouble?" I questioned, praying that he wasn't going to say what I thought he was going to say.

"That's right! It's Charlie! He was taken by dog catchers and got sent to the city pound!" Itchy exclaimed. My jaw dropped open in shock and disbelief.

"What! Are you serious!? Charlie got sent to the big house!? How the hell did this happen!? Why did this happen!?" I yelled in horror.

"Yes I'm serious, because I was there! I saw the whole thing! As for why it happened I overheard the dog catchers say that Charlie was responsible for killing a human and that he was going to be sentenced to death row!" Itchy explained in distress.

I didn't say anything, I just leaned over my desk holding my head in my hands. It felt like my whole world was falling apart. I couldn't believe that this was happening-Charlie was sent to the city pound for murdering a human in cold blood. I slowly realized that something about this didn't feel right. Sure, Charlie made threats before, but that was to keep people in line. Charlie would use his charisma to talk his way out of a bad situation and even if it wouldn't work, Charlie would aim to knock out the one attacking him. I came to the conclusion that somebody must've framed him.

"Itchy, I think I have a theory as to how this happened." Itchy perked up.

"Really? What is it?" Itchy asked me, wondering what I had in mind.

"Well you know how Charlie wouldn't kill anyone and would get the three of us out of a bad situation by talking someone down?" I asked. Itchy nodded.

"Yeah I remember, those were some pretty scary moments for us," Itchy answered.

"Well think about it. Charlie just killing a human unprovoked? That doesn't sound like him. I think somebody set him up and got him sent to the big house," I explained.

"Seriously? You're saying that Charlie was framed by somebody? Well who the hell would do that? And why?" Itchy questioned. I just gave a shrug in response.

 _"Who the hell would set him up? It can't be one of the customers because Charlie and I always treat them well and it couldn't be Carface because he knows not to cross us. Well whoever it is just made a grave mistake because when I find out who it is, there's going to be hell to pay."_ I thought in fury.

"Um, Gavin? Will you please stop looking at me like that?" Itchy said nervously, which caused me to snap out of it.

"Huh? Oh sorry about that Itch, I didn't mean to scare you, I'm just really pissed that someone had the gall to do this," I said while rubbing the back of my neck sheepishly.

"It's alright. So what are we going to do now?" Itchy asked me. I put my hand on my chin and tried to think of a way to get Charlie out of this mess. A couple of seconds later I thought up the perfect plan to save Charlie.

 _"I know what to do-I'll bust him out. It's the only way to save him,"_ I thought with a sly grin. I relayed the plan to Itchy who was understandably hesitant.

"I don't know Gavin, are you sure this is a good idea? This could backfire in the worst way possible, you could go to prison and I could be sent to the pound," Itchy said doubtfully, looking uncertain.

"Don't worry Itchy. As long as we stay calm, we'll pull this off and Charlie will be out before we even know it," I encouraged while standing up and approaching the door.

"Where are you going Gavin?" Itchy asked me.

"I'm going to tell Carface about this, and before you say anything, he's the co-owner of this casino so he has a right to know," I said to Itchy in a tone that left no argument.

"Oh alright. But you need to be careful because whoever set Charlie up will most likely come after you next," Itchy warned me. I gave a nod and headed to Carface's office to give him the bad news.

* * *

 _"Everything is going to_ _plan_ ," Carface thought with a sinister grin. He had one of his men kill a human and he had pinned it all on Charlie, causing him to be sent to the city pound and sentenced to death row. Now all he needed to do was to get rid of Gavin and he could keep all the profits for himself. Carface thought of many ways to get rid of Gavin but none of them seemed appealing until he had an idea.

 _"I got it! I'll put out a hit on Gavin and have somebody whack him and make it look like a robbery gone wrong. It's perfect,"_ Carface thought with a menacing chuckle.

Suddenly someone knocked on the door. Carface jolted out of his thoughts, irritated, and yelled out "Who is it!"

"Um, Boss it's Killer. Gavin McCall wants to speak to you, he says it's urgent," Killer said nervously.

Gavin wanted to speak to him? The human probably found out that Charlie was sent to the big house. Carface started to wonder if Gavin found out that he was the one that set Charlie up, but quickly shook that thought away. If Gavin knew that he was responsible he would certainly get his ass handed to him. Carface decided to play dumb and hoped that Gavin bought it, or he would be screwed.

"Send him in," Carface said. The door opened and Gavin walked in and stopped in front of the desk, looking at Carface with a serious expression.

"Gavin, what brings you to my office?" Carface asked with a convincing smile.

"Carface, we have a problem," Gavin said, getting straight to the point.

"Oh? What kind of problem?" Carface asked, keeping up an innocent facade. Gavin steeled himself before saying,"It's Charlie. He's been taken to the city pound and sentenced to death row for killing a human."

"Seriously? Oh Jesus Gavin, I'm so sorry, I didn't know." Carface gave a fake apology.

"Thanks Carface, I still can't believe this happened. Charlie killing a human unprovoked, it just doesn't sound like him." Gavin said in confusion.

"Maybe you didn't know him as well as you thought," Carface said.

"Yeah, maybe you're right. So anyways, I'm gonna go take a drive around the city to clear my head. Why don't you let the others know about what happened," Gavin said and walked out of the office.

"Killer! Get over here," Carface demanded once Gavin was out of earshot. Killer immediately entered the office and stood at attention.

"Um, yeah Boss. What are your orders?" Killer asked in anticipation.

"Get Rocky and Bruiser. I have a job for them," Carface replied sinisterly.

"At once Boss." Killer said before exiting the room, leaving Carface to his thoughts.

 _"Have a nice drive Gavin McCall. It's going to be the last thing you'll ever do in this world."_ Carface thought, grinning menacingly.

* * *

I was currently driving to the city pound so I could study the building for weaknesses. I couldn't get the conversation with Carface out of my head. I had purposely hid the fact that Charlie was set up by someone and that I planned to break him out of the city pound to test his reaction. I almost didn't catch it, but I noticed what appeared to be a look of glee in his eyes when I was turning around to exit the office. That look had set off alarm bells in my head.

 _"Carface is hiding something._ _I don't know what the hell it is, but it's giving me a really bad feeling,"_ I thought uneasily while pulling to a stop a short distance from the pound. Getting out of the car, I took out a pair of binoculars and scoped out the building.

 _"Holy shit! This place is built like a fortress,"_ I thought in shock. The place was surrounded by an iron fence and a large padlocked gate that was ten feet tall. I also saw guard towers stationed at every corner and barbed wire surrounding the perimeter.

"Christ almighty. Are they trying to keep in Cujo?" I mumbled incredulously at seeing the ridiculous sight.

I started thinking up a plan that would break Charlie out of that place.

 _"Okay. From what I can see, it is basically impossible to get in from the surface so the only to get in is by digging underground to Charlie's cage, and I have no idea where it is. Well, shit. Of course it couldn't be easy, but then again I love a challenge,"_ I thought, and headed back to my car. I stopped when I saw two glints in the bushes across the road.

 _"What the hell?"_ I thought before I quickly realized with horror that the glints were the muzzles of two guns aimed right at me. I hit the deck and shots rang out, shattering the window on the driver side. The shooters started firing full auto at me. I frantically used one of the tires for cover and kept my head down from the barrage of gunfire currently peppering my car.

 _"Holy shit! Who the hell is shooting at me!? I need a weapon now!"_ I thought in terror, looking for something-hell anything, to defend myself with. I recalled that there was an M1911 pistol I kept in the glove compartment in case of an emergency.

 _"I need that gun-it's my only chance of survival,"_ I thought while waiting for the gunmen to reload. When the gunfire stopped and I heard cursing coming from the bushes, I instantly opened the passenger door and took the gun out from the glove compartment before going back into cover. I pushed the release button and the magazine came out. Satisfied and relieved at seeing all eight rounds, I slid the mag back in and pulled back the slide, chambering a round before flicking the safety off. I focused my hearing and heard two figures approaching my cover.

 _"Okay, from what I can tell, there's only two shooters and I only got eight rounds, better make them count,"_ I thought while quietly moving toward the trunk and waited for an opportunity to ambush whoever these bastards were.

I heard the two shooters carefully arrive at my former cover and one of them fired a few shots before I heard a yell of frustration.

"Damn it! Where the hell did he go!? He was just here!" One of them shouted in a completely pissed off tone.

"Will you shut the hell up!? He couldn't have gotten far so let's search the area and see if we can find him. We've been given orders from the Boss to whack McCall and I'm not leaving until we find him and kill him," The other shooter snapped out in irritation.

 _"Someone wants me dead and sent these two dirtbags to kill me? Jesus. Just who in the hell did I piss off so much for them to want me dead so bad?!"_ I thought in disbelief, feeling like karma had it out for me.

I snuck up behind the hitmen and when I saw them fully I was shocked at seeing that they were dogs holding tommy guns but I shook it off and aimed my pistol at one of them.

"You don't need to look far, assholes. So how about you two drop your guns. Oh, and don't even think about turning around. I'm armed and I'm not afraid to shoot," I threatened. Both dogs whipped around and started shooting at me. Luckily for me they weren't expecting to be approached from behind and their shots went flying past me. I dived backwards and landed on the road, firing back in retaliation.

I took down one dog by firing two rounds into his chest, causing him to collapse, only to get a graze on my leg from the other dog who managed to get lucky.

"Argh! You son of a bitch!" I roared out in pain, and out of sheer desperation I frantically emptied the rest of my pistol into him and he fell over dead.

"Ah shit! Oh god damn it!" I gritted out in agony and pressed my hand down on my wound. I saw the dog I shot twice gasping and gurgling.

I stumbled to my feet and headed to the dog that was barely breathing. I struggled to kneel down and I grasped the hitman by his collar.

"Who the hell sent you!? Hey, I'm talking to you asshole! Who wants me dead!? ANSWER ME YOU SON OF A BITCH!" I screamed in rage.

"I...ain't...no...rat." The dog gasped out weakly before dying in front of me.

"No hey! Don't you dare die on me! Who the hell put out a hit on me!? GODDAMN IT!" I roared out in frustration and dropped the corpse.

I looked at my hands that were covered in blood and I backed up into my car and slowly slid down, feeling sick to my stomach.

 _"It was self defense. That's right, they gave me no choice. Oh God, why did they shoot when I told them to drop their guns?"_ I thought, feeling distressed at the fact that I had taken two lives even though they tried to kill me.

I remembered hearing them say that their employer gave them orders to kill me and I started wracking my brain as to who would want me dead. I came to the conclusion that whoever set Charlie up is the same person that is trying to have me killed.

 _"Who the hell is it? It's got to be someone that has a serious grudge against me and Charlie, otherwise they wouldn't go to all the trouble of framing Charlie and ordering two hitmen to kill me,"_ I thought nervously.

I started theorizing who was responsible for this and couldn't come up with any ideas on the identity of the person behind this. The only people who would have the motivation to do this were currently locked up so I came to the only conclusion that made sense.

 _"It's got to be someone inside the casino. But who?"_ I thought uneasily. I couldn't go back to the casino, otherwise whoever is trying to kill me could make another attempt on my life and quite possibly succeed. Or he could go after those I care about just to get to me. So I came up with a plan to get this person off my back.

 _"I have to fake my death and go into hiding. At least until the heat dies down and then I'll break Charlie out and then we'll find the one responsible for this and show them what happens when you cross us,"_ I thought with a nod, feeling hatred and vengeance at the one who had the gall to do this to me and Charlie.

Suddenly I heard the faint sound of sirens approaching my location and I felt panic hit me.

 _"Oh shit, I need to get the hell out of here before the cops show up,"_ I thought. I got up quickly, yelling in pain. I got in the car, started it and slammed my foot on the gas, speeding off into the night.

I drove aimlessly for a while, trying to sort out what had just happened. Eventually I turned onto a dirt road that led into the bayou and found a secluded spot where I could park and rest for awhile.

I turned on the radio to listen to some music to calm myself down and just when I thought things couldn't get much worse, what I heard on the radio proved me wrong.

"And here's tonight's headlines: A protest gathering of movie stars and other Hollywood dignitaries resolved today to wire the President, urging him to condemn the Nazi party's treatment of what they consider to be "undesirables."

My mind began to wonder back to the attempt on my life until another headline caught my attention.

"And in local news, police are seeking a person of interest in the mauling death of William Sawyer. The young man in question is in his early twenties, approximately five feet, nine inches tall, with brown hair, brown eyes, and eye glasses, and had in recent weeks been seen in the company of the dog suspected of the mauling who is in custody at the City Pound."

I shut off the radio, my mind reeling at the realization that my situation was even worse then I thought.

 _"Damn it! Not only is somebody trying to have me killed, I am also being framed for murder along with Charlie! I need to go into hiding, and quick."_ I thought. I was staring at the marshy swampland of the bayou and could see the movement of large man eating crocodiles in the water nearby and it hit me that I had the perfect opportunity to disappear right in front of me. All I needed to do was make it look like I crashed my car into the marsh and had been eaten by crocodiles. I got out of the car to find a heavy rock to weigh the gas pedal down. After a few minutes of searching I found the perfect stone and returned to the car to put my plan into action. Making sure that the lights and the radio were all on I put the rock on the gas pedal, shifted the car into drive and jumped back as the car shot off into the water.

I stood and watched the car sink for a few minutes, satisfied that the lights and the muffled sound of the radio would draw someone to the scene of the accident, and would assume that I had been eaten alive.

Thankful that I still had a few connections that I could trust, I set out for the next town on foot.

* * *

New Orleans, Louisiana, November 19, 1938. _  
_

Charlie just laid around looking at other dogs in cages and saw complete hopelessness in their eyes. If there were a few words to describe how he was feeling right now, they would be pissed off for being in this situation, and concerned for his friends Gavin and Itchy.

 _"God, I hope they're okay. How the hell did this happen?"_ Charlie thought. He didn't like to admit it much but he truly saw those two as friends and the thought of them in a bad situation and not being able to do something about it brought out a sense of helplessness.

 _"Heh, maybe I'm getting soft. Who would have thought that the great Charlie Barkin would have started caring for a human and a Dachshund?"_ Charlie thought with a smile. Then his smile vanished as he recalled not feeling this way since he was a puppy and before he could stop it, memories of his parents Burt and Loni came rushing back. Charlie quickly buried them, not wanting to start feeling guilty.

 _"Damn it, don't think about them, you made your choice a long time ago."_ He berated himself internally and laid his head down, hoping that Gavin would come up with a way to get him out of this place. If there was one thing Charlie liked about Gavin, it was his resourcefulness and quick thinking that had gotten them out of bad situations many times.

"Well, well. Look who it is." A familiar voice rang out, causing Charlie to immediately stand up and start feeling dread.

 _"Oh shit, please tell me that isn't who I think it is,"_ Charlie thought uneasily. Slowly looking at the direction of the voice, he saw two dogs he hoped to never see again.

"If it isn't Charlie B. Barkin. Looks like Christmas came early today, don't you think Spike?" Toodles asked Spike who started smiling sinisterly.

Charlie saw that the two dogs looked like shit. There were multiple scars across their bodies and one of Spike's ears had a chunk of flesh missing. Toodles had three scars across his face showing that he had been badly injured in a fight.

 _"Christ, what in God's name happened to them while they were locked up? They look like they've been through hell and back,"_ Charlie thought, feeling horror at seeing Spike and Toodles in such a state.

"I see you've noticed our scars. Do you like them? They're proof of our accomplishments during our stay here," Spike said with a grin that Charlie didn't like.

"He's right," added Toodles, "and before you ask what kind of accomplishments we're talking about, I'll gladly tell you. When we were sent here months ago, we had to fight like hell just to gain the respect of every dog in this place and before we knew it, we had formed our very own gang. And what's unfortunate for you is that we told our gang all about you and Gavin and how you both ratted us out and got us sent here. So welcome to hell Charlie, because we're going to make your stay on death row as unpleasant as possible," Toodles said with a sadistic smile.

"That's right, Toodles, but you know what would be even better? If Gavin was here too, because I wanna tear that son of a bitch apart for ratting us out," Spike snarled in fury.

"Yeah, but too bad that's never gonna happen, because we heard from our connection on the outside that someone found Gavin's car in the swamp outside of town, and it looks like the crocodiles got to him first. Well gee, Charlie, I hope you weren't counting on Gavin to bust you out of here," Toodles said mockingly before both dogs burst into laughter.

Charlie didn't say anything, but just looked down and turned away in sorrow, feeling completely drained of hope as he began to grieve the loss of his close friend.

"But don't worry Spike, because we still have the next best thing sitting in a cage across from us," Toodles said and chuckled menacingly.

 _"Oh crap. If there's any way for me to get out of this hellhole, I better do it fast or things are not going to end well for me,"_ Charlie thought with a gulp and braced himself for a short and very unpleasant stay.


	10. Chapter 9

New Orleans, Louisiana, February 28, 1939.

 _"Almost there,"_ I thought in relief. It was hot, dark, and sweaty, and I had spent every spare moment the last three months digging this tunnel under the city pound so I could rescue Charlie. After I had faked my death, I had managed to get an anonymous note to Itchy promising information about Charlie if he would meet with me. When Itchy showed up for the meeting, he saw that I was still alive and was overjoyed at the news. Once I managed to get him to stop crying and hugging my leg, I swore him to secrecy and filled him in on my plan to break Charlie out.

Itchy came to help with the tunnel when he could get away unnoticed. While we worked our way underground, he filled me in on how Carface had been responsible for framing Charlie and trying to have me killed.

I was livid that my two-faced, so-called partner had the gall to do this to me and Charlie, but I knew that he would get what was coming to him before I was finished with him.

"Hey Gavin, how much longer is it going to be?" Itchy asked me.

"Not long, we're almost there." I replied.

"Oh good," Itchy said in relief,"all this digging is making me Itchy."

I gave Itchy a dry look and said, "Itchy. Everything makes you Itchy." Turning back to my work, I heard Itchy making a weird noise that got louder and louder until he let out an enormous sneeze that shook some dirt loose from the ceiling, pelting my mining helmet.

"Terrific." I grumbled, rolling my eyes.

"I'm so sorry Gavin, I've got dirt in my nose." Itchy said, and let out another tunnel-shaking sneeze, the recoil of which send him flying backwards into a pipe.

"Hey Gavin, look at this pipe! I bet if we break into this, it could get us in even faster." Itchy said with glee and before I could stop him he drilled into the pipe and broke it, sending water gushing out, lifting us up through the ceiling and into the exercise yard above.

* * *

"And so she says to her husband, "but honey...this one is eating my popcorn." Tommy expected Mike to bust out into laughter but instead Mike was pointing out of the guard tower and down into the exercise yard below screaming, "What the hell is that!?" Tommy whipped around and saw a geyser of water gushing up out of the middle of the exercise yard.

"Oh shit! Water main break! Get some light down there!" Tommy continued to bark out orders from his vantage point in the guard tower while Mike scrambled down to help out in the yard.

* * *

Taking advantage of the chaos, I grabbed Itchy who was coughing and sputtering and dragged him toward the main building to break Charlie out.

Entering the building, I looked around madly for Charlie's cage. I heard Itchy yell, "Over here!"

I ran over to Itchy and got Charlie's cage open. With a look of sheer amazement on his face, Charlie launched himself at me in a big hug.

"Gavin? What...how the hell?" Charlie sputtered out in disbelief.

"Never mind that shit! Let's get the hell out of here!" I yelled urgently.

I noticed that while Charlie and I were reuniting, Itchy was unlocking all of the dogs cages causing more mayhem to break out as the dogs started fleeing for the exit, nearly knocking me and Charlie over. As the room became empty and we went to join them, I heard a familiar voice behind me say, "Holy shit..."

I turned around and saw Spike and Toodles in a cage, staring up at me in shock and a little bit of fear.

"Well if it isn't Spike and Toodles. Are you two enjoying prison life? Looks like you both have a couple new scars, I guess you're not enjoying it so much," I said with a satisfied grin.

"Gavin! You're alive! We thought you were dead. Look, I know Spike and I screwed you and Charlie over and left you to die, but if you could let us out we'll let bygones be bygones. So what do you say? For old time's sake?" Toodles offered with a nervous smile.

"Oh really? Well gee, I don't know. What do you think Charlie? Should we let them out?" I asked Charlie and put my hand on my chin in mock thought.

Charlie walked up to the cage and sat down, staring at Spike and Toodles and then spoke up.

"Screw them. They can rot in there for all I care," Charlie said coldly with an icy glare.

"Wait! You can't leave us in here! We're going to be taken away to be killed tomorrow." Spike shouted in terror.

"You really think we give a shit? You both left me and Charlie to die in that drain pipe months ago. So the way I see it, you two are getting what you deserve. Nothing personal, but you brought this on yourselves." I said, feeling no sympathy at all for these bastards.

Charlie, Itchy, and I left the building, ignoring Spike and Toodles' begging and pleading. We quickly headed to the fence, hoping that the guards wouldn't see us. But Murphy's law kicked in when we were suddenly assaulted by a barrage of gunfire.

* * *

Tommy was currently on the phone notifying command central about the situation when he spotted an unfamiliar man running down the length of the fence with two dogs right behind him. Seeing no uniform on the man made him hang up the phone and narrow his eyes to get a better look.

 _"Wait a Goddamn minute! That's not an employee!"_ Tommy thought and started shouting at the man in an effort to make him stop.

"Hey! You there! Stop where you are!" Tommy shouted.

Realizing that they couldn't hear him above the sounds of chaos, Tommy grabbed his shotgun and started shooting.

* * *

At the sound of gunfire, I ducked my head and the three of us dived under a van.

"I'm so sorry about the pipe Gavin, I thought..." Itchy started to say but broke off when I shot him a heated glare.

"Don't think! From now on, me and Charlie will think!" I snapped out in irritation.

"Okay, you think-" Itchy started to say but was interrupted when buckshot ripped his tool bag apart, sending the contents scattering everywhere.

"My stuff!" Itchy shouted in panic and dived for his drill, hugging it like his life depended on it.

"Forget the stuff! We'll buy you more stuff!" Charlie shouted out. When I grabbed Itchy by the shirt and dragged him back into cover, he dropped the drill by accident.

"Wait a minute?! What about my drill?!" Itchy yelled out before gunfire destroyed the drill, causing us to recoil in panic.

"That answer your question?! Now run!" I shouted and we ran for the gate. I was zigzagging to make it harder for the guards to hit me when I noticed that Itchy wasn't with Charlie and me. I looked back and saw Itchy scratching himself, and my eyes bulged in disbelief.

"Not now Dammit! Not now!" I screamed and ran back to Itchy. I grabbed Itchy and dived onto my side, skidding a couple of inches before buckshot hit the ground nearby.

"Not...Now!" I grunted and shoved Itchy, the mud sliding him to the gate before I got up and took off like a bat outta hell. Itchy crashed into the gate and fell into a big hole before popping up and saying, "I'm sorry Gavin, I itch when I'm nervous."

"Well don't be nervous!" I snapped out with a glare.

"Will you two shut the hell up?! We need to get out of here now before we get ourselves killed!" Charlie scolded as we dived into the hole. We frantically crawled through and climbed up to the other side of the gate before booking it away from the pound as fast as we can go, keeping our heads low to avoid the gunfire.

"You're such a grouch." Itchy grumbled to me as we were running to a car that I got from one of my contacts. I quickly reached the car and opened the back door. Charlie and Itchy jumped in before I slammed the door behind them and got into the driver seat. I gunned the engine and we took off.

We were barreling down a dirt road when I saw that we were fast approaching a broken bridge that used to lead to the main road.

"Oh crap! Hang on to something!" I yelled in panic and jammed my foot onto the gas pedal as hard as I could to get enough speed to make the jump, praying that we wouldn't crash.

"Are you out of your Goddamn mind?! Shit! Shit! Shit!" Itchy shouted in a panic before we braced ourselves and launched into the air, with all three of us screaming in terror.

We landed hard onto the other side of the road and I slammed my foot down on the brake causing the car to skid to a stop. Charlie, Itchy, and I turned and stared at each other with wide eyes and immediately broke out into hysterical laughter.

 _"We're alive! I can't believe we didn't just die. And I also can't believe that we didn't get killed back at the pound."_ I thought in relief, feeling like a guardian angel was looking out for us.

"Holy shit! That was the most insane thing I have ever been through in my life," Charlie said after we had calmed down.

"No kidding," Itchy agreed, still breathing heavily, "I thought we were gonna die there for a second."

"Well...We're alive. At least that's something." I said with a grin.

"Oh yeah, that reminds me. Gavin, how is it that you are alive? I heard from Spike and Toodles that you died. They told me that someone found your car underwater in the bayou. So how is this possible?" Charlie questioned, looking at me with an expression that demanded answers.

"Look. I'll explain everything later. But first we need to go back to the casino, because there is a certain two-faced rat we'll want to take care of when we get there." I grinned, imagining Carface's expression when he sees me and Charlie showing up unexpectedly.

 _"Oh yeah, he'll be surprised alright. And once we're done with him, he'll be pleading for mercy before we feed him to the gators,"_ I thought with a dark smile.

I pressed my foot on the gas and we drove off to the main road, heading for the casino. As I was driving I thought about how we survived death so many times and how Lady Luck seemed to be on our side.

 _"It's like Charlie always says. You can't keep a good dog down."_ I thought, feeling like we were unstoppable.

Little did I know that our lives were about to take a tragic turn.


	11. Chapter 10

New Orleans, Louisiana, February 28, 1939.

Jackie was sitting on a box cheering on number two who was taking the lead on the race track.

 _"Come on...Come on,"_ Jackie thought tensely, seeing the rat he bet on almost making it to the finish line. But by some cruel twist of fate, rat number two tripped and sent many of the other rats sprawling to the floor, leaving number seven to cross the finish line.

"No! God damn it!" Jackie roared out in frustration at losing his winnings. He jumped off the box and stormed over to the bar to drink his sorrows away.

 _"This sucks. I wish Charlie and Gavin were here."_ Jackie thought, feeling the booze and the depression sinking in.

Ever since Charlie was sent to the city pound and Gavin died in the bayou, things had changed. When Carface took over, nobody was able to win the races fairly and the slot machines didn't work right anymore either. It was like everything was rigged, but what the hell could he do about it. Jackie sighed and was about to order another glass of whiskey when he heard the front doors behind him slam open and everything became quiet almost instantly. Jackie looked up and saw the bartender staring at the doors in shock. Turning around to see what all the fuss was about, he saw what everyone was looking at, and his jaw dropped open in astonishment.

 _"Holy shit...it can't be."_ Jackie thought.

* * *

I was looking at the customers who were staring at me and Charlie with a stunned expression and I smirked in amusement.

"Hey fellas! What do you know, what do you say!" Charlie said loudly in glee.

"Why Charlie? Do we detect a look of surprise here?" I asked while putting my hand on my chin in mock thought.

"Why yes Gavin, I think we do." Charlie said with a grin and we gave a laugh before we walked over to a craps table where an elderly dog wearing a slightly torn top hat was staring at us.

After regaining some of his composure, the dog asked"Charlie, Gavin...aren't you two supposed to be dead?"

"Of course not Smiley, you know us better then that." Charlie replied.

"That's right. Because Charlie and I are just too stubborn for death." I said with a pleasant smile though I was feeling anything but pleasant.

"But how is it possible that you both are here?" Smiley asked while looking at us in awe.

"Glad you asked because we'll explain everything." Charlie said and gestured for me to start.

* * *

After our dramatic entrance and much hugging and handshaking, Charlie and I told everyone what had happened and Itchy pitched in with his account of the breakout. While we were explaining, I noticed that the casino looked like a shithole and I felt pissed at seeing the state of our establishment. By the time we were done, every dog in the casino was staring at us in awe.

"Holy shit! You three are lucky that you didn't get killed." A doberman said in shock.

"Well, we survived and that's what matters. But right now we have a little problem because we couldn't help but notice the casino looking so rundown," Charlie said sternly.

"He's right. So what the hell happened to our casino?" I said with an expression that demanded answers. The customers started looking understandably nervous from seeing us glaring at them. Even though Charlie and I had treated them well, we were people they didn't want to cross.

"Well? We're waiting. Is somebody going to speak up or are we going to have to make an example out of someone?" I asked menacingly. Most of the dogs started trembling in fear but one dog said timidly, "Things have changed while you two were gone. When Carface took over, he started mistreating us and things have gotten worse ever since. He's been rigging the races and sabotaging the slot machines." All the dogs murmured and nodded in agreement.

 _"So Carface is responsible for this. Why the hell am I not surprised."_ I thought, feeling even more eager to make Carface suffer. I looked at Charlie and saw that he looked like he wanted to tear Carface apart for having the gall to turn our pride and joy into a dump.

"So Carface is responsible for this? You better be telling the truth because if we find out that he isn't responsible then that means someone is lying, and if there is one thing I hate, it's liars," I said.

"C'mon Charlie, we'll deal with this," I said as I turned to go to the office.

"He's right," said Charlie, "but for now, drinks are on the house, courtesy of our return." Charlie grinned and all the customers started cheering which brought a smile to my face.

"Okay Itchy, you stay here and start planning to fix the place up, me and Charlie are gonna go see Carface." I said and Itchy nodded. Charlie and I headed to Carface's office ready to lay out righteous fury against the one who stabbed us in the back. As we headed down the hallway we saw Killer approaching us. When he saw us his eyes widened in fear.

"Hello Killer, long time no see." Charlie said with a smirk.

"Charlie! Gavin! Aren't you both dead?" Killer stuttered out in disbelief.

"Well considering how we're standing right in front of you, I am going to assume that we're not dead." I said sarcastically.

"Oh of course, what a stupid thing to say. Um, I've gotta go." Killer said and was about to run but Charlie grabbed him by the collar and dragged him back.

"Whoa, whoa, where are you going Killer? We're just old friends having a conversion, no need to be hasty." Charlie said with a look of amusement.

"Charlie's right," I agreed, "And speaking of old friends, have you seen Carface anywhere? Me and Charlie have some business to discuss with him. So do you think you could let him know that we want to speak to him?" I asked with a look of intimidation, showing Killer that it wasn't a request.

"Um, of course. I'll let him know that you two want to speak with him. So uh, I'll just go now." Killer said nervously before Charlie let go of his collar and Killer frantically scrambled away to Carface's office, leaving us alone.

"Remind me why Carface hired him again?" Charlie asked me while I was shaking my head at the pathetic display.

"Who the hell knows. Maybe Carface just wanted someone to push around. I wouldn't put it past that asshole to do that." I replied in a dark tone.

Charlie and I followed Killer toward Carface's office, taking our time and relishing the confrontation to come. We would make an example out of Carface for wronging us in the worse way.

* * *

With a grin of satisfaction, Carface was in his office, lazing around in a partially destroyed car, smoking a cigar and slowly counting a large stack of money.

Carface thought about how everything had become better for him since he had gotten rid of Charlie and Gavin. What was even greater was his little money maker that he had in the basement. With his golden goose, he was making a fortune and he became very successful because of it.

Everything was going perfectly. But past experience had taught him that nothing good lasts forever. A fact that was soon proven when Killer came busting through the door looking completely terrified.

"Boss! We have a serious problem!" Killer exclaimed in fear.

"Killer! You know I don't like to be disturbed like this! So tell me what kind of problem you're talking about or you'll wind up like the last person who disturbed me." Carface threatened with a look of displeasure on his face.

"I'm so sorry Boss but you're not going to believe this. Hell, even I can't believe it." Killer said in a panic.

"Killer! Get to the point before I lose my patience and decide to whack you." Carface snapped out in irritation.

"It's Charlie and Gavin! They're alive and right outside your office waiting for me to let them in!" Killer blurted out.

Charlie and Gavin were alive and standing outside his office? How is this possible? Charlie was on death row in the pound and Gavin died in the bayou months ago, so how were they here? But what Carface was really wondering was if they knew that he was responsible.

"I can assure you Boss that It's not my fault. I was sure that we got rid of them for good." Killer reasoned which did not make Carface feel any better.

 _"Useless moron. Why the hell did I even rely on him getting the job done?"_ Carface thought in irritation.

This was not good. Carface needed to deal with this situation now before things turned out badly for him.

"Killer! I do not wish to share fifty percent of the business with my partners Charlie and Gavin." Carface stated and gave Killer a dark look.

"Let me take care of it Boss. I could grab the pliers and pop off their heads." Killer offered. Carface didn't believe it for one second, if there was one thing he knew about Killer, it was that he didn't have the stomach for dishing out brutality.

"Killer. That's no way to treat old friends, Charlie and Gavin deserve a more fitting send off." Carface said sinisterly.

"They want to speak to you, and I mean like right now Boss." Killer said.

"Really? Then send them in. It wouldn't be professional to keep guests waiting." Carface stated. As Killer went to get Charlie and Gavin he decided to play dumb, praying that they didn't know that he was responsible for their "deaths" or things would not end well for him.

* * *

Charlie and I entered Carface's office and saw that there was a partially destroyed Ford and a movie projector, along with other stuff that made me realized what our money was being used for. Charlie and I saw Carface sitting in front of the car and he perked up when he saw us.

"Charlie, Gavin. Is it really you two?" Carface asked with a happy grin that I didn't buy for a second.

"Is it really us? Is it really you? Damn did you put on some weight? You know we told you to lay off those sweets, long time no see partner." I said and me and Charlie shook his paw with pleasant smiles though we were feeling anything but pleasant at seeing Carface's ugly mug.

After I told Charlie that Carface was responsible for setting him up and for trying to have me killed he was beyond pissed off that Carface had the gall to stab us in the back. So we had come up with a plan to lower his guard and ambush him when he wasn't expecting it.

"I was certain that you two were dead after what had happened." Carface said in relief, though I could tell he was faking.

"Yeah, it was a close call, but you know that neither of us go down without a fight. We're pretty sure that fact is more clear then ever." Charlie replied with a fake smile.

"No kidding. Death certainly ain't claiming you both anytime soon. Sorry to skip the big reunion, but why have you two come to see me? I would think you both would be celebrating your return." Carface questioned us, smiling insincerely.

"I'm afraid we need to talk to you about how you've been running this place since we've been gone. The customers are miserable, the meat quality is much lower then when we last saw it, and what's this Charlie and I hear of the races and the machines being rigged?" I asked while idly fiddling with the radio. Seeing a lead pipe on the floor, I casually kicked it in Carface's direction to send a subtle message to dare him to try to kill us.

"Gamblers are never happy Gavin, you know that." Carface reasoned. But I knew he was lying and it took everything that I had to not kill him.

"True, but you see the fact of the matter is that everything has gone downhill since we've been gone. That's not something we're happy about, because the key to keeping a business afloat is to insure that the customers stay happy. The customer is always right. Right?" I said menacingly through my fake smile. "So we have to make sure we don't let this happen again or we're gonna have a problem. Understood?" I warned.

"Yes, I completely understand. It won't happen again." Carface said. I felt no small satisfaction at seeing Carface being knocked down a peg but hid it behind a pleasant facade.

 _"Oh Carface. Your suffering hasn't even begun yet."_ I thought darkly.

"Okay. Now that we've got that out of the way, let's talk about Gavin and I being co-owners again." Charlie said and Carface shook his head.

"I'm sorry but there's a problem with that." Carface said which caused me and Charlie to start looking at him in suspicion.

 _"What's your game Carface."_ I thought, hoping that this was another attempt to get rid of us so that Charlie and I could have all the excuse we needed to kill him.

"I'm sorry. What do you mean a problem? If there is one thing me and Gavin don't like, it's problems." Charlie asked pleasantly, but with narrowed eyes.

"The problem is that you've done time Charlie, and that's not good for business." Carface explained.

"Wait a minute. What about me? I haven't done time so why can't I go back to being a co-owner?" I questioned, wondering where he was going with this.

"Well it's because of your association to Charlie that no dog in this city will do business with you." Carface told me.

"So what are you saying?" Charlie asked and we tensed up.

"As much as it pains me to say this, unfortunately we need to split up the partnership and you two need to leave the city and start a new life. I don't like it either you two, but it's for your own good." Carface said in feigned sorrow. I might've believed him if I didn't already know that he was the one that betrayed me and Charlie.

As much as I hated to admit it, Carface's explanation had a certain amount of logic. If Charlie and I got our revenge on Carface, would the other dogs in this city not want to get involved with us? The casino could go out of business and me and Charlie would have nothing. On the other hand, putting Carface out of business could be the best thing that ever happened to this town and Charlie and I would be heroes. I suppose there could be some risk involved in getting our revenge.

 _"Damn it. Well played Carface."_ I thought in frustration.

"So you're telling us that we need to leave the city and start off some place fresh. Where the hell are we gonna go then? Most of my contacts are in this city, so where do you suggest we go?" I questioned, feeling pissed that Carface made some good points.

"How about Las Vegas?" Carface offered, "I hear they legalized gambling there so it would be perfect for you two. I could buy your shares of the casino and you could use that money to get started in Vegas. Just think about it."

To tell the truth, it sounded tempting and we could make more money in Vegas then Carface ever could. But the problem was that if we accepted this deal then we would be indebted to Carface, and if there was anyone I didn't want to owe a debt to, it would be Carface. But who knows, maybe me and Charlie will get our revenge by making more profits while Carface runs his dirty operation into the ground and winds up with nothing.

After weighing the pros and cons of this deal I exchanged a knowing look with Charlie. We both nodded and turned to Carface, who was waiting in anticipation.

"Okay, we have thought about this deal and we've decided to accept it." I said with conviction.

"Good to hear, now let talk business you two." Carface said with a grin and although I knew none of us really planned on going through with it, I still had a feeling that somehow we had made a terrible mistake.

* * *

Itchy finished fixing a slot machine and stood up, nodding in satisfaction.

 _"There. All done. Now to find Charlie and Gavin."_ Itchy thought and headed down the hallway. When he approached a corner he stopped when he heard voices bickering in hushed tones.

"I don't want to feed it tonight, you feed it." Itchy heard one of the voices say.

"Hell no, you go and feed Carface's little monster." The other voice argued back.

 _"Monster? What are they talking about? What is this monster that's got them so scared?"_ Itchy thought, feeling nervous. He was about to leave when one of the dogs said something else that caught his attention.

"Damn it, will you just suck it up and do it before the Boss comes back? I don't want us to end up like Charlie and Gavin," the voice said in irritation.

 _"What! Carface is trying to kill Charlie and Gavin again?! Oh God, I have to find them now!"_ Itchy thought in horror and frantically ran off to search the casino, hoping to find and warn them before it was too late.

Unable to find them anywhere, he realized that Charlie and Gavin had left and could be anywhere in the city by now. Itchy left the casino and started tracking them down by scent, hoping that they were still alive.

* * *

Inside an abandoned parade float in a quiet part of town far from the noise and chaos of tonight's Mardi Gras parade, Carface, Charlie, and I, along with some of the casino employees, were celebrating our new deal. Carface had offered to buy out our shares so he could keep the casino, and Charlie and I would use the money to start our own place out in Vegas. We were all praising each other and making a lot of toasts. Without us noticing, someone kept refilling our beer mugs, so before we knew it, Charlie and I were completely drunk off our asses.

I was sliding off my chair and grinning drunkenly while Carface proposed another toast.

"...I'm sure I speak for every dog among us in wishing you both the best of luck in your new venture. To Charlie and Gavin's new casino!" We all raised our mugs and drank again. I drained my mug and put it down on the table. When Carface stood up a second later, I reached for my mug which was mysteriously full again.

"And now as a token of our esteem we are presenting to you both this lucky gold watch." Carface said while presenting a pocket watch. I stood up and grabbed the watch and kept right on going until I hit the floor, laughing uncontrollably. Charlie tried to stand up and joined me in a heap on the floor a second later.

"Takes a licking and keeps on ticking." Charlie slurred out, grabbing the watch from my hand and putting it around his neck. Still laughing, I was lifted off the floor by two dogs and they guided me to a car outside. While we were leaving the float I saw Charlie being taken in a different direction.

"Wait...where are they taking Charlie." I slurred out in confusion.

"Don't worry Gavin. They're just taking him home." The dog on the left replied.

I should've been alarmed that Charlie and I were being separated but I was too drunk to care. When we reached my house, the dogs assisted me to my front door. I fumbled for my keys, unlocked the door, falling inside, taking the two dogs with me.

"You guys...hic...are the greatest friends a man could ever ask for." I barely said with a goofy grin as the dogs stood up and brushed themselves off.

"Why thank you Gavin. And while we're here, we wanted to show you a surprise," one dog said with a smile.

"Oh really? What kind of surprise?" I slurred.

"Oh nothing, just this," the dog said before pulling out a gun and shooting me twice.

The shock and the pain sobered me up quick. I was gasping and groaning in agony. The dog that shot me walked up to me and stared at me coldly.

"...You son of a..." I groaned out weakly.

"Sorry McCall. It's just business. Oh, and Carface Caruthers sends his regards. He wanted me to tell you that this is nothing personal." The dog said condescendingly before he and the other dog left me to die.

* * *

 _"Oh God Charlie, I can't believe you're dead."_ Itchy thought in horror at what he had just seen. He had tracked Charlie down to the docks and had seen two dogs blindfolding Charlie and leaving him alone at the end of the dock. Moments later Itchy watched helplessly as a car careened down the dock and struck Charlie, sending him flying into the water. In shock, Itchy ran as fast as his short legs could carry him to Gavin's house, praying that he was still alive.

 _"Please God, just let me make it in time."_ Itchy thought and suddenly smelled smoke coming from the direction of Gavin's house.

"Oh God no, please no, not Gavin." Itchy said softly. When he reached Gavin's house and saw the fire, he felt something inside himself break and started sobbing uncontrollably.

Gavin's house was fully engulfed in flames. As the firefighters struggled to put out the blaze, the house collapsed to the ground. Itchy turned around and headed back to the junkyard with his head hanging low, feeling complete despair at the loss of his closest friends, not knowing that he was going to see Charlie and Gavin again very soon.


	12. Chapter 11

Location unknown, date unknown.

Screaming in terror, I was flying like a rocket through some kinda dark tunnel, when I saw a golden light that opened up to a closed gate.

"Oh No! NO! NO!" I yelled in panic, crashing through the gate and landing in a heap onto a carpeted floor.

 _"Ah God! That hurt."_ I thought dizzily. I picked myself up and looked around to see where I was. The gate behind me was swinging closed. Although I could see a beautiful starry night sky outside the gate-inside, everything was bathed in a soft golden light. Every few yards I saw marble pillars which reached into the sky. The bottom of the pillars was obscured by a white cloud-like mist that swirled around the ground. When I saw the area around me, I felt astonishment and awe.

"What is this place? Is this paradise?" I questioned out loud. Suddenly I heard groaning coming from the floor next to me. I turned, looked down and saw Charlie looking dazed and trying to stand up.

"Charlie! Are you okay? Here, let me help you." I said and helped him up to his paws.

"Thanks Gavin. What's going on? And where the hell are we?" Charlie asked in confusion. Suddenly a pink female whippet dog wearing a heart-shaped locket around her neck appeared right in front of us, causing me and Charlie to jump back in shock.

"I would have to ask you and Gavin to refrain from using that term here." The whippet dog said calmly in a kind voice.

"What the!? Where the heck did you come from!? Who are you!? And where are we!?" I questioned in understandable disbelief, since she had just materialized out of nowhere.

"Oh my apologies. My name is Annabelle and I came from Heaven," Annabelle said.

 _"This dog came from Heaven? As in the place full of clouds and goodness my Mother used to talk about and pray to before she passed away?"_ I thought in confusion.

"Heaven? You mean happy angels and sparkling clouds Heaven? Eternal bliss Heaven? Are you serious?" I questioned skeptically.

"It's complicated Gavin." Annabelle told me with a smile.

"Right. So if you came from "Heaven" then what is this place?" Charlie asked doubtfully.

"Please try to be open-minded Charles, sarcasm is not polite. As for what this place is, this is the Hall of Judgment." Annabelle reprimanded with a frown.

"Judgment!" Charlie and I exclaimed in panic.

"Oh not to worry Charles, all dogs go to Heaven because unlike people, dogs are naturally caring and loyal." Annabelle reassured Charlie while I felt insulted that I was being ignored.

"Wait! What about me!? I don't want to go to the other place! Can't you do something?!" I exclaimed in terror at the thought of going to Hell and experiencing eternal suffering.

"I'm afraid that's not my call. Only the Lord can make that decision." Annabelle said which didn't make me feel any better.

"Wait! Heaven? What the heck happened to us?" Charlie asked.

Annabelle manifested a massive book and started looking through it until she stopped at a page and a look of confusion appeared on her face.

"Wait a minute, this isn't right." Annabelle mumbled.

"What? What is it?" Charlie asked.

Annabelle didn't say anything which caused me and Charlie to start looking at each other nervously.

"Gavin. I need to ask you something." Annabelle said to me.

"What?" I asked and braced myself.

"Why does your birth date say June fifteenth nineteen ninety-five?" Annabelle asked me, and Charlie started staring at me in shock.

"What! Annabelle, are you sure that book is right?" Charlie questioned in disbelief.

"I'm sure, because this book is always right." Annabelle stated.

Charlie shot me a look that demanded an explanation but I gave him an expression that told him I would explain everything later.

"Listen Annabelle, the reason why is a long story and I'll explain later." I said, hoping that she would let it go and focus on her job.

"Very well." Annabelle said and continued to look though the book before she continued saying, "It seems you've been taking care of your grandmother in a nursing home since your mother passed away, so there is a chance that you can be redeemed."

 _"Oh thank God for that."_ I thought in relief, not looking forward to experiencing Hell.

Annabelle kept going through the book until she stopped at Charlie's profile. I saw a picture of Charlie, along with two adult dogs that bear a resemblance to him.

 _"Must be his parents."_ I thought and realized that Charlie didn't say a lot about his past the entire time I've been with him. I recalled that when I asked him once about what his life was like before he became a con artist, he snapped at me that he didn't want to talk about it before telling me to let it go.

"I can't seem to find a truly redeemable act in your recent life Charles. Please sign here you two." Annabelle said and showed us a place where we could put our signatures down.

"Sign what? Are you going to keep ignoring our questions?" Charlie snapped out with a glare.

"He's right. Are you going to tell us what's going on, or are you going to keep us in the dark?" I asked.

"My apologies. Could you both please finish signing to confirm your certified deaths?" Annabelle asked us. At hearing the word death, Charlie and I recoiled in shock.

"What! Death! You mean we're..." Charlie sputtered out.

"Stone cold I'm afraid." Annabelle answered.

I didn't know how this was possible because I couldn't remember how I died. The only things I could recall were pain and the smell of smoke. I concluded that Carface must have successfully killed us. I felt pissed that we were dead and Carface was alive when it should be the other way around. I wasn't going to stand for this.

"Hold on! There's been a mistake! You got the wrong people here! We're not ready to die yet!" I shouted in anger and disbelief.

"Well I'm afraid that's not your call, because you two are already dead." Annabelle said calmly.

"No! This is a mistake! We were double crossed by a two faced rat! I just gained my freedom!" Charlie exclaimed while two white robes with wings attached to them appeared on me and Charlie. Two halos appeared over our heads completing our look.

"Murdered in the prime of our lives! Unbelievable!" I shouted in rage as the clouds that me and Charlie and Annabelle were standing on started lifting us up.

"Damn that Carface, we'll kill him." Charlie grumbled in irritation.

We kept rising until we wound up in an area full of clocks and watches.

"Huh. This must be the watch department." I said with interest.

"You may call it that," Annabelle said, and two watches floated down in front of me and Charlie. One of the watches had a blue collar-like necklace attached to it while the other watch was a modern day wristwatch.

"See these watches are your lives, and they stopped." Annabelle told us.

"Well, can't you just wind them up or something?" Charlie asked in confusion.

"And send you two back? Oh no no. No one is ever allowed to go back." Annabelle answered with a frown.

 _"So we aren't allowed to go back, but she didn't say that we were incapable of going back."_ I thought while staring at my life watch. I realized that our life watches were the only way of sending us back. But the problem was getting them while Annabelle wasn't looking. I looked at Charlie and saw that he had the same idea.

"Of course." I said in fake disappointment.

"Heaven is a wonderful place you two. A place where there is no more pain and suffering, where everyone can finally be happy. We know who belongs here and how they will come to be here and even those yet to be." Annabelle explained.

I can tell already that I wasn't going to like this place. From what she described, it seemed like they already knew everything and that there wasn't going to be any surprises in this place at all. What's the point of life if there wasn't any surprises.

"You mean there are no surprises or anything?" Charlie asked.

"It's necessary to properly determine the judgment of everyone." Annabelle said and joined Charlie on a cloud.

 _"So basically what she is saying is that everyone in Heaven knows everything about us? Well that's not creepy at all."_ I thought sarcastically.

"I suppose that this place is wonderful, would you kindly grant me the honor of dancing with an Angel. Literally, in this case." Charlie offered with a charming smile while giving me a subtle wink. I nodded and got ready to enact the plan.

While Charlie distracted Annabelle by dancing with her, I would switch the life watches with our old ones and we would wind them up and go back to the land of the living to get revenge on Carface.

I stealthily approached while Annabelle was dancing and switched the watches and gave the one with the collar to Charlie while Annabelle wasn't looking. The three of us flew across the sky and Charlie and I put our watches behind our backs and started winding them up.

"Tell us Annabelle, has this day been surprising for you?" Charlie asked, grinning at Annabelle, causing her to start looking at us in confusion.

"Charles, Gavin? What are you both doing? What have you got behind your backs?" Annabelle questioned us.

Charlie and I dropped the innocent facade and started looking at her arrogantly with smug grins and continued rewinding our life watches.

"Are you surprised?" I asked her smugly, causing Annabelle to gasp in horror and realization.

"No! Charles, Gavin! Don't wind up those watches!" Annabelle cried out in panic.

"Well, I guess you don't know everything after all." Charlie said arrogantly before our watches started glowing and Charlie and I were sent flying back to the mortal world.

* * *

New Orleans, Louisiana, March 1, 1939.

I gasped awake and started yelling in agony at the horrific feeling that was running through my body.

 _"Oh God! It hurts! Make it stop!"_ I thought, thrashing around until I rolled off of something and hit the floor. I took a look at myself and saw that my skin was completely charred all over from some kinda fire damage.

 _"Oh Jesus! what happened to me!? Did Carface burn me alive!?"_ I thought in horror. My flesh and organs were regenerating and I was writhing around and howling in pain until I was as good as new. Breathing heavily, I looked around to see where I was.

I saw that I was in a morgue and there was no one around. Getting up, I nearly fell over. I steadied myself with the table that was next to me and stumbled to a clothes rack where a medical coat was hanging, I grabbed it and put it on with some difficulty as my body was still recovering from the rigor mortis. I found some clothes in a dead person's personal stuff and put them on.

"Okay...now to find Charlie." I said weakly and walked over to the door before I saw a mirror and took a look at myself.

I looked completely healed up. It was like whatever killed me had never happened. The thing that most astonished me was that I wasn't wearing my glasses but I could see as clear as day.

"Holy shit. I can see. How is this possible?" I said softly in awe. Suddenly, I heard Annabelle's voice coming from my life watch and I looked down at my wrist.

"Gavin...you and Charles can never come back." Annabelle said forebodingly before the watch stopped glowing and everything went silent.

"Tch. Like I give a shit." I mumbled coldly before I walked out of the morgue and into the city.

Little did I know the ramifications of what Annabelle said.


	13. Chapter 12

New Orleans, Louisiana, March 1, 1939.

I was driving to the hideout while Charlie was questioning me about my birth date.

After I had left the morgue, I stole a car and started heading back to the junkyard so I could find Charlie and Itchy, so all three of us would plan our revenge against Carface for killing me and Charlie.

While I was driving through a city street, Charlie darted into the street out of nowhere, causing me to slam my feet on the brake, skidding the car to a stop. After I got out and apologized to Charlie for nearly hitting him, we both got into the car and took off to the junkyard, which leads us to where we are now.

"So let me get this straight, you're telling me that you've come from the year twenty eighteen and you somehow wound up here by unknown means a month before we met? Am I getting this right?" Charlie asked me skeptically.

"Look Charlie. What do you want me to say?" I asked in frustration.

"Oh gee, I don't know. How about telling me why you kept this from me the whole time we were together?" Charlie asked sarcastically with a glare.

"What did you expect me to say? Oh hey, Charlie guess what? I'm from the future and I somehow got here by time-travel, how would you have reacted to that?" I replied sternly.

" I would've thought you were crazy. Okay, Good point, but you still should have told me Gavin," Charlie said, looking hurt.

"I know and I'm sorry I didn't tell you. But you have to understand from my point of view. I was taken away from everything I knew and dumped into a time and place I was completely unfamiliar with, and I needed to adapt to my situation. Anyone would have done the same thing if they were in my shoes," I said with a frown.

"Fair enough. We'll discuss this later." Charlie said as we were approaching the junkyard.

We pulled up, got out, and headed inside the building where Charlie and I could hear Itchy sobbing and whimpering in grief. We headed to Itchy's bed and saw him thrashing around in his sleep.

 _"Oh Jesus, Itchy must've saw me and Charlie getting killed. Well it's time to wake him up,"_ I thought. Putting my hands on his shoulders, I shook him gently and Itchy started screaming in terror.

"Itchy, it's okay. It's us, Gavin and Charlie. You're having a nightmare." I said gently. When Itchy woke up, he looked up at us and his jaw dropped open.

"Charlie! Gavin! You two are alive! You both are back...from the dead aaaaahhhhh!" Itchy's relief instantly gave way to panic as he screamed and frantically ran away from us.

"Whoa! Itchy! Calm down." Charlie said, and we started chasing him around the hideout. Itchy jumped up on top of a dresser and started chucking random objects at us and Charlie and I ducked as we made our way to the dresser.

"Damn it Itchy! Will you calm the hell down! We're not going to..." I said, but was interrupted when Itchy grabbed a hubcap and slammed it on my head. I recoiled and grabbed my head in pain.

"Ow! Son of a bitch! That's it, come here!" I growled and quickly grabbed Itchy by the muzzle to shut him up.

"Quiet! Itchy, we're not dead, and we're not ghosts. Now be quiet. I'm going to take my hand away from your mouth and you're going to remain calm, alright?" I said in a placating tone, hoping that Itchy would calm down.

Itchy nodded, but the second I removed my hand from his muzzle, he started screaming again, forcing me to clamp my hand back onto his muzzle.

"Shut...the hell...up!" I emphasized in irritation before letting go of his mouth.

"Damn it Itchy, we're alive! Look, are Ghosts solid? Do they have heart beats?" Charlie snapped out in annoyance and Itchy calmed down.

"Charlie...Gavin...it's really you. I thought you two were dead." Itchy said softly and he hugged us while sobbing.

"It's okay Itchy, we're fine. Charlie and I are not going anywhere." I said calmly.

"Charlie, Gavin, how is this possible? I saw you both die, so how are you here?" Itchy questioned us, regaining some of his composure.

"It's simple Itchy, we played our cards right. That rat bastard Carface failed to get rid of us by framing me and sending hitmen after Gavin, so he decided that a more direct solution was in order. He botched it and we're going to make sure that he pays dearly for his mistake." Charlie said menacingly.

"You mean revenge? Are you and Gavin crazy? Since you both are alive, you two can disappear and start a new life, maybe move to San Francisco or Las Vegas." Itchy suggested, but we shook our heads.

"Charlie and I don't care for Vegas, and if you think we're going to run like cowards then you should know by now that Charlie and I don't run from a fight. And if Carface wants a fight, then he's sure as hell gonna get one." I vowed.

"Come on fellas, this is suicide. You two are alive and can do whatever you want." Itchy tried to reason with us but it fell on deaf ears.

"We know what we want to do. We're going to take what Carface values most. We're going to destroy his business and take everything from him and when he comes crawling to us broken and begging for mercy, we'll crush every Goddamn bone in his body before smashing his head in," Charlie said darkly. I noticed Itchy was looking disturbed at what Charlie just said but I was too pissed to care. Carface had made a grave mistake when he killed me and Charlie and we wanted blood.

"Are you hearing yourselves? Carface has got God knows how many thugs that'll be armed to the teeth and he's got a monster in the basement of the casino," Itchy said, causing us to perk up at the word monster.

"Monster? What do you mean by monster?" Charlie asked curiously.

"I don't know Charlie, but I overheard two of Carface's men talking about feeding it," Itchy explained.

"Really? Charlie, are you thinking what I'm thinking," I asked with a sly grin.

Charlie didn't say anything and just started chuckling with a sinister smile.

* * *

I pulled off the vent cover and I went in first, followed by Charlie and (reluctantly) by Itchy. And we started working our way to the basement.

After Itchy told us that there was a monster in the casino basement, we drove to the casino and snuck in so that Charlie and I could see this monster for ourselves. I wondered how Carface had somehow kept the business afloat even though he mistreated the customers, and came to the conclusion that this monster that Itchy talked about had to be connected to Carface's success.

Eventually we arrived at an opening on the left that went into the basement. As we peered through the vent cover, we could see a figure sitting on the floor under a pile of blankets.

"The monster." Itchy whispered nervously.

I was intrigued at seeing the figure and before I could say anything, Itchy spoke up.

"Okay, we've seen it. Now let's go home, who knows what it eats," Itchy said lowly and tried to go back the way we came but I grabbed him by the tail and he started yelping in terror.

"Something's got me by the tail!" Itchy whispered frantically.

"I got you by the tail, now calm down." I snapped in irritation.

"How about a little warning next time you're going to do that." Itchy said with a glare.

"Are you two done? Because I don't think the entire casino heard you." Charlie said with a tone that shut us up.

Suddenly we heard the basement door open and we saw Carface and a couple of his men head down the stairs and stop in front of the figure.

"Okay little girl, time to get up." Carface said, causing me to frown in confusion.

 _"Little girl? What the hell is he talking about?"_ I thought. The figure that emerged from under the pile of blankets took me completely by surprise. I saw an eight year old girl with black hair and blue eyes. She was wearing a white shirt that was covered by a pair of black overalls and a red raggedy skirt along with black shoes. On her head was a yellow bow that completed her mismatched look. Carface and his men put down a tray of food and a cage that held a rat inside.

"Mr. Carface, do you think I could go outside today?" The girl asked politely with a soft voice that had a bit of a squeak to it.

"Sure thing little girl, but first you need to talk to the rat." Carface replied.

Looking none too surprised at what Carface had said, the little girl turned to the cage. And what she did next caused my mouth to drop open in shock.

"Oh hello there, you look tired. Would you like a snack?" The girl asked the rat while presenting a piece of cheese, which it ate before squeaking something to her.

"Oh don't worry, I'm fine. You need another snack or is something special going on tonight?" She asked and the rat replied to her.

"Oh really? He's going to ask her tonight. So are the others helping?" The girl asked. The rat answered and she started smiling.

"So? What is he saying?" Carface asked in anticipation.

"Apparently number five is planning something very special for someone tonight and the others are letting him win the race for her." The little girl answered.

"Killer, place all bets on number five. Good work girl, you're a real golden goose." Carface said with a grin, then he and his men left.

"But Mr. Carface, didn't you say I could go outside today?" The little girl called out but the only answer she got was the door slamming shut.

 _"Holy shit. She can talk to animals just like me."_ I thought in awe. I looked at Charlie and could almost see dollar signs running through his mind.

"A little girl who can talk to animals like you do Gavin. Imagine that." Charlie said gleefully.

I thought about how perfect this was and how we were practically staring at a gold mine. If we wanted to hurt Carface, what better way to do it then to use his money maker against him to ruin his business.

 _"Okay, so what we need to do is gain this girl's trust and use her to get back at Carface, it's brilliant."_ I thought with a grin.

Charlie and I looked at each other and nodded. I quietly removed the vent cover and lowered myself down onto a pair of wooden crates and Charlie and Itchy followed after me.

"Charlie, Gavin, what are you two doing?" Itchy whispered urgently.

"That poor little girl is being held captive, someone has to do something." I said with a frown.

"Are you and Charlie insane? If we take that girl then Carface will hunt us down." Itchy replied in disbelief.

"But it's not right Itchy, we need to take that girl away from this place. Don't you have any compassion at all?" Charlie said, and we started walking over to the little girl while ignoring Itchy's protests.

The little girl looked up when she heard us approaching and immediately started backing away while staring at us warily.

"Oh I'm sorry, did we startle you? We didn't mean it. We were just surprised to find you here." I said gently with a soft smile.

"Who are you? Where did you and your dogs come from?" The girl asked me.

As I considered my next words, I studied her to see what she was like. She seemed to be innocent and kind since she fed that rat with her food, still she didn't know me or Charlie so I needed a story that would establish a sense of familiarity.

"Oh, my apologies, I used to work here. This place has fond memories to me. I hadn't been here for awhile, and I wanted to see it again. I just never expected to find you here." I said kindly.

"Oh, is this your room? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to take it from you." The girl apologized.

"It's okay, you didn't do anything wrong, but I am appalled that you're being kept here against your will." I said with a frown.

"Oh it's not that bad." The girl replied.

"Yes it is. Carface broke his promise from what I saw. How long have you been here?" I asked.

"A few months I think." She answered after some hesitation.

"And you never left this place?" I questioned in sympathy. I saw that the little girl was holding a necklace that had a cross on it.

"I understand now. Me and my dogs didn't find you by mistake, Heaven guided us here to help you." I told her, playing the religious angle.

"You do believe in Heaven, don't you?" I pointed at the cross on her necklace.

"When the nuns at the orphanage gave me this necklace, they taught me all about Heaven. They told me this necklace was my mother's, though I don't remember it," The girl said while clenching the necklace.

"Speaking of your mother, where is she and your father?" I asked in concern, hoping that she wasn't saying what I thought she was saying.

"I don't know, I'm an orphan." The girl said sadly.

 _"Oh Hell, this kid is an orphan? God."_ I thought sorrowfully.

"You hear that fellas? This girl has no parents. Fate is smiling upon us today." Charlie said quietly with a big smile.

"C'mon guys, think about this, actually think about this before you do it." Itchy pleaded.

"Noted and ignored," Charlie replied.

"You live here alone without any parents? What's your name sweetie?" I asked politely.

"My name is Anne-Marie," she said.

"Well it's very nice to meet you Anne-Marie, my name is Gavin McCall and these are my friends Charlie Barkin and Itchy Itchiford." I said as she giggled.

"You deserve better than being stuck in this place and I can't stand the thought of anyone leaving you alone down here. I can take you away from this place and find a proper home and family for you." I said while kneeling down in front of Anne-Marie.

"Well, I'm not sure." Anne-Marie said nervously.

"Don't worry Anne-Marie, it'll be fine. Want to take a walk outside today?" I asked patiently and held out my hand with a convincing smile.

Anne-Marie smiled, took my hand and all four of us left through the vent leading out of the casino.

* * *

"What! What the hell do you mean she's gone?!" Carface roared out in rage at Killer, who was trembling in fear.

After Carface killed Charlie and Gavin, he felt great satisfaction that the only two people that were in his way were gone for good and he thought nothing could go wrong, but when Killer came to his office and told him that his golden goose was gone, to say that Carface was pissed was an understatement.

"Well um, you see Boss I-" Killer started to say but was interrupted by Carface.

"Shut the hell up! Morons! I am surrounded by Goddamned morons!" Carface yelled and started throwing things at Killer who took cover behind a bookshelf, yelping in terror.

"Wait Boss! It wasn't my fault! Thunder was on duty, take it up with him!" Killer exclaimed in panic.

"I want that girl back, do you understand?! Find her! Tear the entire city apart if you have to, but get my money maker back, or so help me, somebody will be made an example of in front of the others, and it might as well be you Killer! Are we clear?!" Carface threatened lividly.

"Of course Boss! We'll find her!" Killer exclaimed before running out of the office and slamming the door shut.

 _"I swear to God, if someone in this casino is behind this, then I'll make sure that they suffer slowly before feeding them to my pet."_ Carface vowed internally with a murderous expression on his face.

* * *

I was resting on a nice and comfortable seat with Anne-Marie, Charlie and Itchy inside a large car in the junkyard, telling a bedtime story to Anne-Marie. After we had left the casino, I revealed to Anne-Marie that I had the same ability she did and proved it by talking to Charlie. She was excited that she was not the only one that could talk to animals and told me that she was happy she wasn't alone with this gift. When we arrived at the junkyard, Anne-Marie told us that she was sleepy, so we climbed inside Charlie's home which was an old taxi cab. Charlie and I took turns reading the story of Robin Hood to Anne-Marie.

"And so Robin says to little John that this can go on no longer and that we cannot leave these people with nothing. We will reclaim what the Sheriff took and return it to them because it is the right thing to do." I told Anne-Marie. In truth, I didn't know the actual story so I was making it up as I went along, luckily Anne-Marie didn't know that the story was a jumbled up mess.

"Wait a minute? Are you saying that this Robin Hood gave all the money to the poor without taking his cut? What kind of story is this?" Itchy questioned skeptically.

"I like Robin Hood," Anne-Marie said with a smile.

"Yeah Itchy, he doesn't need his share, he has everything he wants in his beautiful maiden who loves him for the selfless hero he is," Charlie stated.

"Was his maiden pretty?" Anne-Marie asked curiously.

"Impossibly so, with long brown hair, the bluest of eyes like the ocean and a smile of pure compassion, acceptance and care," I said with a nostalgic smile as I recalled the memory of my Mother's appearance that would best fit the description to make it sound real.

"Exactly. That was his true reward and all he needed, nothing else mattered." Charlie told her.

"Yeah right, he's out of his percentage and he is risking his life for people he doesn't know, and they don't give him anything in return. Doesn't sound like a good deal to me." Itchy said irritably.

I shot Itchy a quick glare before I looked back at Anne-Marie.

"Okay Ann-Marie, time to get to bed now, it's getting pretty late." I said.

"I want to look at the stars," Anne-Marie said.

"Sure, your bed gives you a good view of them. Just try to keep it down, okay? It's late and we're tired." I said warmly.

Charlie and I opened up a curtain that led to the back of the car. I showed Anne-Marie the back seat and tucked her in gently like my mother used to do when I was a child.

"Goodnight Squeaker." Charlie said with a smile before we closed the curtains.

Charlie and I left the car with Itchy following us. We moved a few yards away so Anne-Marie couldn't hear us speaking, but stayed close enough to still see the cab.

"I don't like this guys, that little girl is a ticking time bomb just waiting to go off. You both know Carface is gonna come looking for her and when he does, we're dead." Itchy stated nervously.

"Will you relax? Carface isn't gonna come here, he thinks Gavin and I are dead." Charlie said smugly and started snickering.

"You fellas should be dead, don't ether of you wonder how you survived?" Itchy asked us.

"The truth is Itchy, we did die. While we were in Heaven, we stole these watches. They're literally our lives and we just turned them back," I stated with an arrogant smirk. Itchy gaped at us in disbelief.

"Are you two insane? You forced yourselves to come back? Listen guys, whatever is going on, you both should ask Flo if she could help us with this," Itchy suggested to us while looking at us concerned.

"Flo? Itchy, we both haven't talked to her in awhile and there is no reason to. We're fine and everything is going to be okay. And besides, she's got her paws full on taking care of the pups right now, she doesn't need to worry about us." I said.

"I don't know guys. You two could have the girl stay at the old church, at least Flo knows what she is doing." Itchy said.

"We got this Itch, that girl trusts us now. Tomorrow we'll take her to a horse race and make a fortune. Until then, you start making up plans for where Gavin and I'll build our casino. You like designing stuff right?" Charlie said, and we didn't give Itchy a chance to reply but turned and walked back to the car. We were approaching the car when we heard Anne-Marie talking to herself.

"...I would like to thank you for Charlie and Gavin, and this place, and for giving me friends, thank you, Amen." Anne-Marie said.

"Give him our thanks as well Squeaker." Charlie said with a gentle smile.

"Charlie, Gavin, I just wanted to thank you both for being there for me." Anne-Marie told us.

"It's no problem sweetie." I said.

"Do you think I'll have a family?" Anne-Marie asked us sorrowfully.

"We know you will. In fact, we're going to find you a family, Squeaker. No matter how long it takes," Charlie said.

 _"Obviously it would take a very long time but I doubt she'll notice,"_ I thought.

"Really! You both actually will?" Anne-Marie asked in excitement.

"Of course we will sweetie, you have our word." I said.

Most dogs that know me and Charlie know that our word didn't mean much and it wasn't truthful all that often, unless it was to make business deals.

"Charlie, Gavin, can you both give me a goodnight kiss?" Anne-Marie asked us politely.

 _"Jesus is this kid needy, but I don't blame her since she doesn't have any parents, and God knows what her life was like growing up in an orphanage."_ I thought sympathetically.

Getting inside the car, Charlie and I opened the curtains and I kissed Anne-Marie on the forehead and backed away while Charlie gently licked her across her cheek. Anne-Marie kissed Charlie on the nose which caused him to pull away gagging and rubbing his nose in disgust while she giggled at his actions.

Charlie and I settled into the front seat and I started to drift off to sleep. Suddenly I felt a weird, almost unholy feeling go though my body and I could've sworn I heard dark demonic laughter in my mind before I fell asleep.


	14. Chapter 13

New Orleans, Louisiana, March 2, 1939.

Charlie, Itchy, Anne-Marie, and I were walking through the streets of New Orleans and heading to a racetrack to bet on one of the horses. It was going to be a good day, today we would use Anne-Marie's gift to win one of the races and to keep her happy. One thing I couldn't help but notice was that I felt a little guilty for how I was using Anne-Marie. I squashed the guilt away because I couldn't afford to start getting soft, otherwise Charlie, Itchy, and I wouldn't be able to get our revenge on Carface.

"So, where are we going Gavin?" Anne-Marie asked me.

"I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise, Sweetie," I replied with a charming smile.

"Oh come on, I want to know. Please?" Anne-Marie begged.

"Oh, alright. Have you ever been to a horse stable?" I asked and gave her a grin.

"Horsies!" Anne-Marie exclaimed in excitement and she started giggling happily.

She liked our idea, that was good. It would make everything go much more smoothly for us. I saw Charlie duck under Anne-Marie and he started carrying her on his back as we were approaching the race track, I heard noises of people ether cheering in victory, or yelling in disappointment for losing a bet. I looked at Itchy and saw him still looking nervous, which made me wonder why he was feeling like this since everything was going smoothly.

The four of us entered the stable and Charlie kneeled down so that Anne-Marie could get off of his back and she stared up at the horses in wonder.

"Charlie, Gavin, is it okay if I..." Anne-Marie trailed off, looking hesitant.

"Go on Squeaker, it's okay," Charlie encouraged.

With a smile, Anne-Marie walked over to one of the horses and started petting him which he didn't seem to mind all that much. Charlie and I let her have fun and be happy 'cause if we wanted this to work, we couldn't push her too much or she could get annoyed with us and most likely leave.

"Wow, really? You're seriously planning all of this for him? He's lucky to have such good friends," Anne-Marie said, and the horse replied to her.

"Oh? How long have you known each other?" Anne-Marie asked and the horse answered her.

"That's a long time. I recently met a few friends too. Gavin, Charlie, do you both want to introduce yourselves?" Anne-Marie called to us.

 _"What the hell, might as well do it,"_ I thought and the both of us walked up to the horse.

"Hello, my name is Gavin McCall and this is Charlie Barkin and Itchy Itchiford. It's nice to meet you," I introduced, only to feel insulted when the horse ignored me by looking back at Anne-Marie to say something.

"I don't think these horses like you or Charlie very much Gavin," Itchy said as he gave me a smirk.

"Oh really? I never would've guessed," I said sarcastically.

"Okay, if we're going to do this, we need to do it now you two. We need to place our bet," Itchy told us impatiently.

Itchy was right. As much as I would love to let Anne-Marie have fun, we had to get this over with and Charlie and I needed to carefully play this out.

"Anne-Marie, I know you're not going to like this sweetie, but I'm going to need you to ask the horses about the race now," I said gently.

"That's all Mr. Carface ever asked me," Anne-Marie said in disappointment while she was frowning at me.

"I know sweetie. I know you aren't happy to hear this, but when we do find a family for you, we're gonna need to have you dress nice to give a good first impression and we also need money to buy food so that we could feed ourselves, and think about this, if we still have some money left over, we could use it to help the people that really need it," I convinced and I gave her a smile.

"You mean like Robin Hood?" Anne-Marie asked gleefully.

"Of course Sweetie. Exactly like Robin Hood," I said.

"Oh thank you Gavin!" Anne-Marie exclaimed cheerfully and she hugged me tight, causing me to let out a slight choking noise before Anne-Marie let me go.

 _"Jesus. For a little girl, she's certainly in good shape,"_ I thought in slight disbelief.

"So, what did the horse say?" Charlie asked politely.

"Well, he told me that it's Day Off's birthday today so he's going to win," Anne-Marie told us.

One of the horses birthday is today? That made things easier for us. I looked at Charlie and he nodded at me before looking at Itchy with a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

"Do you want to be on the top area or bottom?" Charlie asked rather bluntly.

"Ugh, couldn't you have phrased it a little better?" Itchy asked with a deadpanned look on his face.

"Sure, do you want to get on top of me or do you want me to get on top of you?" Charlie deliberately asked again, only he made it sound even worse this time.

"That's even worse Charlie! For the love of...can you please just word it a little better?" Itchy requested.

"Just grab a coat and get on my shoulders," Charlie snapped in irritation.

"Thank you. Was that so hard," Itchy asked with a smug grin, causing Charlie to shoot a quick glare at him.

"Gavin, what did Mr. Itchy mean by wording it better?" Anne-Marie asked me innocently.

My eyes bulged and I started blushing furiously. I needed to come up with an excuse fast because I did not want to explain the innuendo to an eight year old girl.

"It's nothing Sweetie, don't worry about it," I said quickly.

"Okay everyone, let's go place the bet," Charlie said.

"Oh yeah? With what money Charlie?" Itchy said, causing me to shoot a glare at him for his smartass comment.

"Have faith in us Itchy, we know what we're doing," I said as all four of us exited the building to get some money to place our bet.

* * *

We were in a nearby park, looking around for a mark so Charlie, Itchy, and I could steal a wallet to fund our bet. The park was crowded so it was the perfect time to steal something.

"Let's see, all we need is a couple of bucks. Gavin, Itchy, look around and see if any of you can spot a mark," Charlie told us while Anne-Marie was on the swings, out of earshot.

I nodded agreement and called to Anne-Marie as Charlie and Itchy went in separate directions. "Come on Anne-Marie, let's walk around a bit."

With Anne-Marie walking next to me, happily babbling on about everything she could see, I casually looked around to see if anyone caught my eye. I spotted a well-dressed and nice-looking couple in their thirties who appeared to be enjoying some quiet time together. When he reached up a hand to brush her wispy blonde hair from her face, I could tell by the ring on the man's finger that he was married, presumably to his lovely companion, I thought with a chuckle.

"Look Anne-Marie, do they look like the family you want?" I asked her.

"Oh Gavin, they're perfect. Charlie, do you see them?" Anne-Marie asked as Charlie approached us.

"I do, Squeaker. I think we have found you a family. Why don't you sit on this bench and watch them for a few minutes. We'll be right back," Charlie said while he was beckoning Itchy over. We moved a few yards away from Anne-Marie, close enough to keep an eye on her, but far enough away that she couldn't hear us speaking.

"You see that Gavin?" Charlie asked me and he motioned his head at a wallet that was in one of the man's back pockets.

"Yep, right back pocket," I said.

"Okay, here's what we're going to do. I'll stay on lookout so that I can alert you if things start to go wrong. Itchy, you distract them so that Gavin can steal the wallet, okay?" Charlie instructed.

"Okay Charlie. You want me to do number 17?" Itchy asked in glee and he gave a fake growl.

"No Itchy, do number 3. Humans always fall for the lame dog con," Charlie said with a sly grin.

"Sure thing Charlie," Itchy said, and he headed to where the couple was standing.

"Okay Gavin, you think you can do this?" Charlie asked me.

"Tch, like I can't handle a single lift. You taught me, remember," I said smugly.

Charlie nodded and we took our places to steal the wallet.

* * *

 _"It is a beautiful day today,"_ Harold thought while he and his wife headed toward a bench in a shady spot, so they could take a short break from their stroll through the park.

Harold looked at his wife Kate and smiled at her and she kissed him in response.

"I can't help but notice you looking at me dear," Kate said.

"What? I can't look at my beautiful wife every now and again?" Harold said wryly.

"Flattery will get you nowhere dear," Kate said with a grin.

Suddenly, Harold tripped over something and he stumbled a bit, trying to regain his balance.

"Harold! Are you okay?" Kate asked in concern.

"I'm fine honey. What did I trip over?" Harold asked, and his question was answered when he heard the sound of an animal howling in pain that was coming from the ground. Harold looked down and saw a dachshund wearing a green shirt and a red ball cap, limping and whining in pain.

"Oh Harold, the poor little thing," Kate said.

"Did I hurt you boy? I'm sorry," Harold said and he knelt down to check the dog's paw.

Then a little girl wearing ratty clothes came running up and she quickly started checking the dog.

"Itchy! Are you okay?!" The girl exclaimed in panic.

"Oh hello Sweetie. Is this your dog?" Kate asked her.

"Well...kind of. What happened?" The girl asked.

"It was an accident, I didn't mean to hurt him. I'm sorry," Harold apologized sheepishly, not knowing that someone was approaching from behind.

* * *

I cautiously walked past the man and in a quick movement, took the wallet out of his back pocket and casually walked away.

"Did you get it?" Charlie asked me in anticipation as I walked up to him.

I didn't say anything and just nodded. I turned around to see Anne-Marie talking to the couple. Knowing that we couldn't let her get attached to any possible family just yet, I ran over in pretend concern.

"Anne-Marie! There you are! Don't wander off like that. You scared me," I said, maintaining my facade of concern.

"I'm sorry Gavin, I didn't mean to. Itchy was hurt and I needed to see if he was okay," Anne-Marie said.

"Still, you need to tell me first before running off like that. I'm glad I found you," I said, before looking at the couple and pretending to look surprised, " Oh, hello there. Is she bothering you? I'm sorry for the trouble."

"No need to worry sir, she's actually very sweet. Is she your daughter?" The woman asked me.

"No Ma'am she's not my daughter, but I am helping to look after her right now," I said.

"Well, we're glad to hear that you're looking after her. It's nice to see someone helping a little girl. What's your name?" The man asked me.

"My name's Gavin and this is Anne-Marie," I introduced while I was shaking the man's hand.

"Nice to meet you two. My name's Harold and this is my wife Kate," Harold said.

"Listen, it was nice meeting you folks but we need to go. Anne-Marie, say goodbye to the nice people," I said politely.

"Goodbye, I hope to see you again," Anne-Marie said shyly.

"Of course. It was really nice to meet you Anne-Marie," Kate said.

Giving a wave, Anne-Marie and I walked over to Charlie and Itchy and all four of us started heading back to the race track.

* * *

I felt like face-palming out of sheer embarrassment as all four of us were walking over to the ticket booth.

Charlie, Itchy, and Anne-Marie were on each others shoulders and covered by a trench coat, while Anne-Marie was wearing a fedora and a fake mustache. To say that they looked ridiculous was an understatement.

"Place our bet for Day Off to win," I said as I was put the money down on the counter.

The man inside the booth took the money and gave me two tickets and we walked over to a booth to hand the tickets over to the elderly man inside.

"Day Off to win," I said and handed the tickets over to the man.

"Day Off, huh? You know something I don't?" The man asked me.

"Just feeling lucky, Mac," I said, then Charlie, Itchy, Anne-Marie and I went to find a seat in the stands where we could watch the race. We found a good spot and sat down as the race started.

As the group of horses neared the finish line, we all leaned forward in anticipation. Just when it looked like Day Off was going to lose, the other horses seemed to slow down and Day Off flew past them and crossed the finish line first, causing all four of us to cheer out in victory.

"He did it!" Itchy exclaimed in glee.

"No! Anne-Marie did!" Charlie shouted.

"Happy birthday Day Off!" Anne-Marie yelled cheerfully.

Suddenly, Anne-Marie kissed Charlie on his muzzle out of excitement, causing the German Shepherd to gag and wipe his muzzle out of disgust.

I collected our winnings and we took a shortcut through a park to head back home. Charlie, Itchy, and I were watching Anne-Marie playing when we heard a familiar female voice.

"I thought I saw you two earlier but I had to make certain that I wasn't seeing things," The voice said behind us. The three of us turned around and my eyes widened in surprise when I saw a brown Border Collie looking at us through narrowed green eyes.

"Flo? What are you doing here?" Charlie asked in shock.

"I don't gamble but that doesn't mean that the pups and I don't enjoy watching the races," Flo said as she was giving us a gentle smile.

"The pups are here? Where are they right now?" I asked her.

"They're waiting for me. If you look over there, you can see them," Flo pointed out at the nearby exit before asking me, " so, when did you get a child of your own Gavin?"

I wasn't surprised that Flo was asking me about Anne-Marie since she had never seen the little girl before. The only thing to do was to give Flo a half-truth and hoped that she bought it.

"Charlie and I recently rescued her from someone that was mistreating her because it was the right thing to do," I answered.

"Well that was very sweet of you and Charlie to do. I am also happy to see that you both recovered from your accidents so quickly," Flo said.

"Accidents? What are you talking about?" Charlie asked in confusion.

"Yeah, that was me, I called her recently. I was concerned about what happened, sorry about that," Itchy confessed sheepishly.

"Well as you can see Flo, we're fine now, so you don't need to worry about us. Still, it was nice to see you again," Charlie said softly.

"You too Charlie. I'll let all of you be on your way then. Hope to see you soon. And take care of that girl," Flo said, and she walked away. As soon as she was out of earshot, Charlie and I glared at Itchy with a pissed off expression.

"Itchy, what the hell is wrong with you? We told you that we didn't want Flo getting involved. She already has the pups to worry about, she doesn't need to add us to her list of worries," I snapped in irritation.

"I was concerned, okay. Is that a bad thing? I saw you both getting murdered and you two miraculously show up alive hours later. What did you fellas expect me to do?" Itchy tried to reason.

"You know what, just forget about it. We're going home," I said, then turned and called out "Anne-Marie, we're heading home now!"

Anne-Marie raced over to Charlie who let her on his back again and we headed back to the junkyard. When we arrived, I went inside the cab and went to sleep.

* * *

 _I was falling down a dark pit that opened up into a fiery inferno, hearing horrible screams of agony all around me as a boat rose up from the river of molten lava and I landed in the boat with a crash, breaking my wrist in the process._

 _"Agh! Son of a bitch!" I yelled in pain and I reset the bone before standing up and looking around in horror._

 _The entire place had a disgusting and overpowering smell of blood and burnt flesh, sharp jagged rocks and fiery infernos surrounding the area while the lava burned everything around me. I turned to my right to see a skeletal dog wearing a purple cloak giving me a glare before it roared at me, causing me to stumble back in terror._

 _I turned around to see massive flames rising up from the lava before it took the form of something I would never be able to unsee again. The creature was something beyond my worst nightmare-it looked like the hybrid of a dog, a dragon, and a bat. It had horns protruding out of its head and it had glowing yellow eyes along with powerful, muscular arms ending in razor sharp claws that were a half a foot long. I backed away out of sheer denial of the monster's unholy existence when it saw me and it reached out its arm out towards me._

 _ **"Welcome Gavin,"** The monster said, and it's claws literally stretched towards me in a inhuman manner before stabbing me in the shoulders. The monster forcefully lifted me up while I was screaming until my flesh and shirt ripped apart from the strain and I fell back onto the boat._

 ** _"You said that you and Charlie liked surprises? Well, I can assure you that you both will get more then you two imagined,"_** _The monster said sadistically._

 _Suddenly, the monster blew fire behind me and I turned around to see ugly little imps jumping around and cackling. I tried to flee from them, only for more of the little bastards to appear in the other direction. The imps climbed all over my body and they started biting me. One imp bit into my nose while another took a chomp into my ear, as a third imp got my cheek and more of them tore into my forehead and chin. I kept letting out pained cries as I was being torn apart, while the imps ripped out one of my cheeks, a chunk of my ear, and my nose. I tried to fight them by punching, kicking, and throwing them off me but the imps piled all over me, tearing off chunks of my hands and ripping my abdomen open before biting into my spine, causing me to howl in agony from being eaten alive._

 _"Stop! Please! No more, please!" I begged to the monster, who only laughed in amusement at my suffering._

 _ **"Are you surprised Gavin?"** The monster taunted me._

 _Then the unholy thing grabbed the boat and broke it in half, causing it to sink into the lava. I saw the lava starting to flood the boat, prompting me to drag my broken body to one of the posts and I desperately struggled to climb to the top even though the imps still kept slowly devouring me. The lava reached me and I cried out in pain when my flesh and bones were melting from the hot liquid only to find out that the liquid was not lava but boiling blood. I was sobbing in fear and agony as my body was being dissolved by the blood._

 _"Someone, anyone. Help me," I thought, and I prayed for somebody to save me from this hell._

 _ **"You and Charlie can never go back,"** The monster said cruelly._

 _The monster lowered itself into the river of blood and it opened it's mouth before the boat and I were sucked in. I could only scream helplessly as I went down its throat and into its digestive tract._

 _The last thing I remembered, was letting out one final scream before the boiling blood and the acid swallowed me whole._

* * *

I quickly shot awake and sat up, letting out a primal scream of fear.

"Gavin! What's wrong?! Snap out of it!" I heard Charlie shout at me but I was way too out of it to listen.

"No! Please! No more for the love of God! Somebody help me!" I babbled in terror.

Suddenly, I felt someone pushing me and I fell down on solid ground, snapping back to my senses and I saw that I was home. I touched my face and body and when I felt that everything was still attached, I started calming down by using a breathing technique to slow my heart rate.

 _"You're okay Gavin, it was just a messed up nightmare,"_ I thought, while I was breathing heavily.

I looked at Charlie and saw him, Itchy, and Anne-Marie looking at me in alarm.

"Gavin, are you alright?" Itchy asked me in concern.

"I'm fine, it was just a horrible nightmare," I said, not wanting to talk about what I saw in my sleep.

"Are you going to be okay Gavin?" Anne-Marie asked me.

"Of course sweetie, go back to bed," I said gently.

Anne-Marie nodded and she went back to sleep, leaving Charlie, Itchy, and me awake.

"Gavin, what the hell was that? You were literally screaming and sobbing in your sleep. We had never heard you sound so terrified before. What did you dream about that would cause something like that?" Charlie asked me, as he was giving me a look of concern.

"Charlie's right. When you started screaming like that, it scared the living hell out of us. Do you think you can tell us what you saw?" Itchy asked.

"Fellas, I appreciate the concern but can you just drop it? I really don't want to talk about it, so how about we go back to sleep," I suggested.

Charlie and Itchy looked like they wanted to argue, but they reluctantly nodded and went back to sleep. I rested myself against the backseat, knowing that I wasn't getting any sleep after that and I looked up at the ceiling. Suddenly, I heard ticking and Annabelle speaking again.

"Gavin, you and Charles can never come back," Annabelle reminded me before everything went silent.

I realized with a growing horror of the implications of what Annabelle said and I tried to convince myself out of denial that it was just a dream.

"It was just a nightmare. Please God, just let it be a nightmare," I mumbled to myself, praying that it was not real but I knew the truth. What I saw wasn't a nightmare but a premonition of me and Charlie's fates. We literally violated the laws of nature by forcing ourselves out of Heaven and bringing ourselves back to life, damning our souls in the process and if we died again, I would witness it again along with Charlie, only it would never end, we would suffer for all of eternity.


	15. Chapter 14

New Orleans, Louisiana, March 3, 1939.

I was sitting in Charlie's cab, looking outside the window, feeling pensive about the horrific nightmare I'd experienced last night.

I couldn't stop thinking about the fact that I had dreamt about being dragged into Hell and the brutal torture I had experienced.

The worst thing about it was how real it had felt, like it wasn't a dream at all but a premonition of the future. I was terrified of what would happen if Charlie and I were to die again. I knew that Charlie was staring at me in concern but I wasn't up for talking about what was bothering me. I heard someone approaching and I looked behind me to see Itchy approaching the cab and jumping into the seat next to me.

"I came to tell you and Charlie that the measurements are done. I've also calculated the proper space so we should be ready to begin construction soon," Itchy notified us.

"Great job Pal. We left those details to you because we knew we could count on you. We always can," I said quietly.

"Hey, you fellas are just the brains while I'm just the tools," Itchy stated.

"I wouldn't go that far. Charlie and I are the charismatic fun ones and you're the cautious one that stops us from getting us killed," I remarked wryly.

"Basically, I'm the boring one. Is that you're saying?" Itchy asked me, looking annoyed.

"Nah, you're not boring, just not as fun as us. You're fun in your own way," I said while playfully patting Itchy's head.

Itchy gave me a smile and I looked back out the window. I knew that I was worrying my friends, but I was not in the mood for reliving what I had seen by talking about it.

"Gavin, I know that you don't want to hear this, but I'm worried about you. That nightmare that you had, what was it about?" Itchy asked me tentatively.

"You're right, I don't want to talk about it. How many times do I have to say it, I'm fine, so you don't need to keep asking me about it, didn't I say that I didn't want to talk about it? And besides, it's not important," I said irritably.

"You know what? That's crap and you know it. The entire time I have been with you and Charlie, I have never seen you that terrified before and you've never begged for anything. Come on Gavin, we're really worried about you and seeing you look so shaken up is very concerning. We're your friends, you can trust us. Just tell us please," Itchy said.

"Itch is right, I have come to see you as family and to see you like this is killing me. C'mon Kid, you and me have known each other for over a year, you can tell us," Charlie said.

"Goddammit...okay fine, I'll tell you both but I need to warn you that you won't like it," I said, resigned to talking about it anyway.

"I don't care if we won't like it. If that nightmare shook you up like that, then it's something that shouldn't be ignored" Itchy said sternly.

"Fair enough. Look, you fellas know that I didn't believe in the concept of Heaven and Hell, and the fact that there is some all powerful being watching over us. Hell, you both know that Flo believes in it and how she always talks about it whenever we visited her," I said.

"Flo? What does she have to do with your nightmare? Is seeing her again the reason why you had that nightmare?" Charlie asked me.

"No. Boys, do you remember Flo talking about...Hell?" I asked hesitantly.

"Yeah I guess, why?" Itchy asked.

"Guys, in my nightmare I was dragged into Hell," I said.

Charlie and Itchy stared at me with an expression of disbelief, not knowing how to respond to that. Then their looks turned into skepticism.

"Hell? Gavin, are you even listening to yourself? That's the conclusion you've come up with?" Itchy asked in disbelief.

"Well, considering that I saw fire and brimstone everywhere, heard the sounds of people screaming and begging for mercy, and saw horrifying monsters. Yeah, sounds like Hell to me," I remarked sarcastically.

"Why would you have a nightmare about Hell?" Charlie asked me.

"I don't know Charlie, maybe because we forced ourselves back to earth, violating the laws of nature in the process. Look, whatever my nightmare was about, how about we just move on and focus our efforts on getting back at Carface," I said, wanting to forget about my nightmare and get back to business.

"Sure Gavin," Itchy said and he headed out to start working on construction.

"Okay Gavin, now that he's gone, do you think you can tell me everything? If you don't want to, then I won't push and I'll let it go," Charlie said.

"Fine, I'll tell you. So listen carefully and don't interrupt me," I said.

Charlie nodded and I told him everything about my nightmare, how I saw a monster and was attacked by demonic imps that slowly tore me apart and how I was eaten by the monster and liquefied by the boiling blood and the monster's stomach acids. By the time I was done, Charlie had a horrified expression on his muzzle.

"Jesus Gavin, what does this mean?" Charlie asked me.

"I don't know, but what really scares me, is that it didn't feel like a dream but a vision of the future," I said uneasily.

"So, what do we do?" Charlie asked.

"We keep doing what we're doing now and hopefully make Carface pay 'cause I can't wait to see the look on that bastard's ugly face when he finds out we're alive and we burn his operation to the ground," I said darkly.

Charlie agreed and I looked back out the window, not noticing that in my reflection in the side mirror, my eyes were giving off a slight ominous red glow.

* * *

Carface was sitting in his chair, waiting for Killer and his other employees to come back. He didn't know how it had happened. His men had one job to do, and that was to keep the girl locked up and make sure that she didn't leave. But somehow, she was gone. The only explanation that made sense was that he was surrounded by incompetent morons. Carface felt like whacking somebody just to satisfy his frustrations but he needed to stay calm and be patient otherwise things would get worse. Suddenly, Carface felt the ground under him shake and rumble and he heard water moving just below him. His pet was getting hungry and Carface had a feeling that it was highly likely that it would be getting a snack very soon. When Carface saw Killer and a few of his men return, he felt pissed when he didn't see the girl with them.

"Well, where is the girl?" Carface demanded.

"We searched the entire city, Boss, and we couldn't find any sign of her," Killer said, trembling nervously.

"I gave you all one job, and it was to find my golden goose. Tell me, why do I pay any of you?" Carface asked in frustration.

"Boss, the door was locked from the outside. I don't see how she could have possibly gotten away," Killer stuttered out.

"Well, she obviously did. Do you see her in the basement? Is she here with me? No, she's gone. I know the door was locked and I know she isn't here. What I really wanted to know is where the Hell is she?!" Carface roared out in rage.

"Listen Boss, it's a big city, she could be anywhere. Just give us a little time and we'll bring her back," Killer tried to convince.

"Shut the Hell up!" Carface shouted and he grabbed Killer and tossed him aside, causing Killer to land onto the floor with a crash.

Carface turned his attention away from Killer and glared at the other dogs that were supposed to keep the girl locked up. Somebody had screwed up and that was unacceptable. A business could not function with this kind of incompetence, so how was a businessman like him suppose to handle this little set-back? Screaming in their faces wouldn't work, they would screw up again. So instead, he would need to make an example out of someone to motivate his men and show them that incompetence was not tolerated in his casino, thus improving their effectiveness. Carface calmed down and opened a drawer, pulling his revolver out. He opened the cylinder and took out five rounds before putting the cylinder back in place and spinning it so nobody would know which chamber the remaining bullet was in. He aimed the gun at all three dogs in turn.

"Boss wha, what are you doing?" Killer stuttered out, his eyes bulging in fear when he saw the gun pointing at him.

"Taking care of this problem. I don't know which one of you screwed up, so we'll let fate decide," Carface threatened.

"Holy shit Boss, take it easy. We'll get the girl back," one dog said in panic.

"I'm sure you will, but this mistake cannot be tolerated so I think we can turn it into a learning experience. There are three of you and one revolver, the gun has one round inside so if the bullet doesn't come out then you all get to walk away, but I'm sure that a lesson will be learned either way," Carface told them.

"Whoa Boss, wait. We promise this won't happen again, just don't kill one of us, please," another dog begged, but it fell on deaf ears.

Carface aimed the gun at the Siberian Husky and pulled the trigger, resulting only in a loud click.

"Lucky for you. How about you Killer?" Carface asked and he pulled the trigger and got another click.

"All comes down to you doesn't it, Mac?" Carface asked the large Rottweiler.

Carface pulled the trigger and got another click, causing all three dogs to let out a sigh of relief. But Carface aimed at the Husky and pulled the trigger again. This time, a gunshot rang out and the bullet went through the Husky's head, the other two dogs watching in horror as he fell to the floor, dead.

Carface tossed the revolver aside and turned to the two remaining dogs, who looked back at Carface in terror.

"I never said that there would be only three tries now, did I?" Carface said menacingly.

Carface reached down under the desk and pulled a lever which opened up a trapdoor on the floor. The corpse fell down into the water below with a large splash. As they watched, a large alligator with a bone in its nose surfaced, grabbed the body and dragged it underwater before Carface shut the hatch.

"Now I hope that a lesson has been learned today and the mistakes of the past will not be repeated. I would hate to bloody my carpet again and have to find someone more efficient than you two. Are we clear?" Carface asked lowly, letting the two dogs know that the next time they screwed up, he would kill them both and find someone else to do the job.

"Of course Boss, we'll find her. I can promise you that this will not happen again," Killer said in complete terror.

"No, it won't. Now go find my money maker, I would hate to put your life in the hands of fate again. Now go." Carface said.

As the two dogs ran out of the room, Carface started thinking about how the girl could have escaped. It wasn't possible because the door had been locked from the outside and she wouldn't have been able to get out through the vents because the opening was too high for her to reach. The only thing that made sense was that someone took her. But who? It wasn't any of his employees or the customers because they know not to cross him unless they wanted a slow and agonizing death. Only a few people knew of the basement, like Charlie and Gavin. Carface started to wonder if maybe Charlie or Gavin survived but Carface squashed that thought down. He had made sure that those two were dead. He had watched Charlie die from being run over by a car and two of his men had reported that they shot Gavin twice and set his house on fire to finish the job, so it couldn't be them, but Carface couldn't help but think about them. Maybe one of them had told someone about the basement.

Unknown to Carface, he was being watched by something unholy. The Hellhound grinned sadistically as he felt pleasure from the darkness in the dog's heart. The cruel display of the dog killing the other one was a petty course of action, but it was what could he expect from mortals-such savage and primitive creatures. Still, The Hellhound saw a purpose in the dog known as Carface-he hated Charlie and Gavin and wished for their demise, that would be useful in time. The Hellhound already had his eye on Carface's soul and could use him to further his intentions for Charlie and Gavin. The Hellhound chucked darkly and shivered in pleasure as he imagined the screams of agony and terror that Gavin and Charlie would let out once they arrived in Hell. The Hellhound retreated to his home to plan for how to get Charlie and Gavin, and he smiled as he could recall feeling Gavin already being corrupted by Hell's influence and it would only be a matter of time before Charlie followed with him.


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

New Orleans, Louisiana, June 7, 1939.

Charlie and I were walking over to the casino bar feeling proud of our accomplishments. It had only been a few months and things had been going great. During those months, Anne-Marie's gift of talking to animals had given Charlie, Itchy, and me an advantage over the races. Before we knew it, we had enough money to deliver on our promise to Anne-Marie and buy her some nice clothes. Through my contacts, we got the supples we needed to begin our new casino. It took weeks to build the casino but when it was finished and we finally the sign out front turned on, we were open for business and I felt proud knowing that things were moving in the right direction. Charlie and I spread the word and before we knew it, customers came in and our business grew steadily after that.

I grinned as Charlie and I approached the bar. I was imagining the expression on Carface's muzzle when he finds out that not only are we alive, but also that we have Anne-Marie with us.

"Hey Smiley, what do you know, what do you say?" Charlie asked, and Smiley took off his hat to show us steak on his head.

"That's using your head." I laughed and said cheerfully, "Enjoy."

"Hey Itch, we gotta hand it to you, the place is looking great," Charlie said gleefully, admiring himself in the mirror. A look on confusion crossed his face and he turned around. I looked behind me to see Anne-Marie holding a suitcase, looking none too happy.

"Anne-Marie? What are you doing sweetie?" I asked in confusion.

"I'm leaving! You two said that we're going to help those that needed money but we didn't. You and Charlie promised! All you two do is gamble and it isn't right!" Anne-Marie said angrily and started walking out of the casino.

This was not good, we needed to keep Anne-Marie from leaving or we were screwed.

"Anne-Marie! Wait!" I called out. Charlie and I hurried over as I continued, " You're right, we've been stupid and selfish and we haven't been keeping our promise to you, we're sorry."

"He's right Squeaker, thank you for reminding us. We're going to help those poor people right away," Charlie said with a charismatic smile.

"Oh Charlie, Gavin, thank you," Anne-Marie said happily and she kissed Charlie on the nose, picked up her suitcase and skipped back into the casino, humming happily.

Charlie gagged and pawed at his muzzle, trying to wipe off Anne-Marie's kiss. I chuckled as the two of us walked over to the bar.

"Hey fellas, what is with you two and this kid? We have a business to run you know," Itchy said in displeasure.

"Itchy, we need to keep Anne-Marie happy or we're screwed. Do you understand?" Charlie said in irritation.

"I guess, but you guys know that Carface will find us eventually, right?" Itchy told us.

"Let him come, I'll enjoy making him suffer by carving him open before letting the gators feast on him while he's still alive," I said cruelly.

I noticed Charlie and Itchy looking disturbed at what I just said and I stopped momentarily, realizing that although my thoughts had been getting more brutal and violent lately, that was the first time I had said anything like that out loud. I had also noticed that my nightmares weren't bothering me anymore and my fantasies about making Carface suffer were getting increasingly more sadistic. I wondered if I should feel more concerned about it than I was.

 _"God, what's happening to me?"_ I thought, feeling disturbed.

I couldn't worry about it and decided to focus on keeping Anne-Marie happy, and I hoped that my preoccupation with revenge against Carface was to blame for my darker thoughts.

* * *

A hatch opened up and a hunk of meat was tossed into the water. The large gator snapped it up and dragged it underwater, then seconds later, came back up and looked up at Carface to see if more food was coming.

"I really don't feel like a demonstration is in order," Killer stuttered in fear while chained upside-down to an anchor hanging over the trapdoor.

Carface, still looking at his pet below, motioned for the anchor to be lowered into the water as Killer whimpered in terror.

Carface finally looked at Killer as he temporarily stopped the anchor from lowering. "Haven't you heard of the new club? Casino Charlie and Gavin, it's almost like they're taunting me. Charlie and Gavin are alive and I know that they got the girl. If it's so obvious, why haven't you gone to that club and brought her back to me?" Carface asked firmly.

Killer screeched in terror as the gator jumped up out of the water to try to reach him.

"She wasn't there Boss and there are rumors that Itchy runs the joint. The casino is new and it's been open for a few months now," Killer tried to reason, while watching the gator circle below, preparing for another jump at him.

"No, it's Charlie and Gavin, and since you failed the one job I asked you to do, that's strike two Killer, you're out," Carface said, walking over to his chair and sitting down.

"Wait Boss, I get one more strike! Honest!" Killer shouted frantically as the gator jumped again, this time a little closer.

"Lower him in," Carface said to one of his men before continuing, " Nothing personal Killer, it's just business."

As Killer was being lowered in, the giant gator was snapping at him while it was lunging out of the water. Killer desperately tried to get away from the gator by swinging back and forth wildly, blowing at the gator to chase it away, not that it was going to work.

"Please pull me up Boss! We can still make this work! If Charlie and Gavin are alive, then where would they stay?!" Killer yelled in terror while he was trying to climb his way out.

Carface couldn't help but consider Killer's words. Sure Carface wanted Charlie and Gavin dead, but the problem was finding out where they lived. Carface walked over to the pit and pulled Killer up out of the gator's reach but kept him hanging above the pit to make it very clear that he would drop Killer if he didn't like what he heard.

"Do you have the answer to that?" Carface asked.

"Well if Charlie and Gavin are alive to build their casino, they would have had to make a lot of money to do it. They probably bet on the races to make the money, so it would have to be somewhere near the racetrack, or near transportation that could get them there, right Boss?" Killer explained nervously.

Carface couldn't help but agree to what Killer said. He was right, Charlie and Gavin's home would be close to the casino so that they would be able to travel to both places quickly. All Carface had to do was narrow down places in the surrounding area and options were fairly limited.

"Well done Killer, you have just given yourself a second chance," Carface said, smiling.

Killer smiled back nervously, feeling a bit relieved that he had pleased his employer and that he wasn't going to die. He nodded to show that he was happy to help. Carface nodded at his goons, who pulled Killer back up, untied him from the anchor and dropped him roughly to the floor.

"Load up boys, let's find Charlie and Gavin's little hiding place," Carface said gleefully.

As Carface's men grabbed shotguns and tommy guns, Carface knew that this time, Charlie and Gavin wouldn't survive.

* * *

I was walking up the stairs to the top floor of the church, holding five boxes of pizza with Charlie and Anne-Marie right behind me.

When we finally made it, Charlie looked at Anne-Marie and said breathlessly, "These are some of the poorest people we know...they're broker then the ten commandments...little joke."

Peering into the room, I grinned when I saw Flo and the pups sitting in front of a radio, listening to a story.

Suddenly, a scream rang out from the radio, causing the pups to scatter and I announced our presence by saying loudly, " Hey kids! Anybody order a pizza!"

"Uncle Charlie! Uncle Gavin! Pizza!" The pups yelled cheerfully and they ran over, swarming us and jumping at my legs, knocking me over in the process.

"Whoa! Easy kids!" I yelped out and started laughing when one of the boxes fell to the floor and they all immediately jumped on it, growling at each other playfully as they wolfed down as much pizza as they could.

"Whoa kids! Hold up! Charlie and I have someone you want to meet," I said.

I got up off the floor and said," Kids, Uncle Charlie and I want to introduce you all to a very special guest. Say hello to Anne-Marie."

"Pleased to meet all of you," Anne-Mare said and she gave a little bow.

The pups didn't say anything, but continued to devour the pizza while fighting amongst themselves, causing Flo to laugh.

"Hello Charlie, Gavin," Flo said kindly with a soft smile.

"Hello Flo," Charlie said softly, letting out a genuine smile.

"It's sweet of you both to come by, we don't see much of you two anymore," Flo said.

"Sorry about that. We've just been busy running a business, you know how it is," I said calmly.

"Yeah, I know how it is. It really is cute that the little guys love you both though," Flo said.

"I know. It's good that they-" I said, only to let out a wince when I felt a sharp pain. I looked down and saw one of the pups playfully biting my ankle.

"Hey! You little stinker, take it easy," I said with a grin, and carefully separated the pup from my ankle.

"Uncle Gavin, can I have some more pizza?" The pup asked.

"Sure thing, here," I said and laid the other boxes down on the floor and opened them up.

Suddenly, the other pups ran over and started fighting over one of the boxes, leading to a tug of war, prompting me and Charlie to head over and separate them.

"Whoa there. C'mon fellas, you can share. You care about your brother right? Your sister? If they were hungry, you would help them eat, right?" Charlie told them.

The pups stopped fighting and they looked at each other before looking at their mother who gave a nod, signaling to them that Charlie was right. The pups started giving slices to each other and kept eating until the pizzas were all gone, then they wandered off to continue playing.

As I watched the pups playing, I started sweating when I felt a hot, almost painful burning feeling running through my body and I started to adjust my tie, shirt collar, and vest out of irritation.

 _"Ugh, what the Hell? It feels like I'm burning. I know it's June but give me a break,"_ I thought in confusion, walking over to the window to get some air, but the feeling was getting worse. I was shaking my head and fanning my face with my hand to cool myself down but it wasn't working and I suddenly got an irresistible urge to leave the church.

"Gavin, are you okay? You don't look so good," Charlie asked me in concern.

"I'm fine. Will you excuse me, I need to get some air," I said and headed down the stairs before Charlie could reply.

When I exited the church, the burning feeling went away and I let out a sigh of relief. I started to wonder what had just happened. It had gone away so quickly once I was outdoors, it was like my body couldn't stand being inside the church. Charlie and Anne-Marie came outside and walked over to me, looking concerned.

"Are you okay Gavin? You walked out before anyone could respond," Charlie asked me.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It just felt suffocating in there all of a sudden. I'll be okay, let's go home," I said.

Charlie nodded and all three of us headed back to the junkyard. When we arrived, we went inside the cab where Itchy was waiting for us.

"Hey fellas, how were things at the church?" Itchy asked us.

"It was okay. So Anne-Marie, did you have a great time tonight?" I asked.

"Yeah, it was a lot of fun. I like Flo, she's really nice, and all the puppies were so cute!" Anne-Marie said happily.

"Well, I'm glad to hear that. Maybe you can go over there more often while Charlie, Itchy and I run things at the casino and keep looking for your future family," I suggested with a smile.

"That sounds great, thank you Gavin," Anne-Marie said and I smiled in response.

"Sorry to interrupt, but can we get some sleep?" Itchy asked us.

Quickly apologizing, I tucked in Anne-Marie and she settled down, then looked at me and Charlie with sleepy eyes.

"Goodnight Gavin. Goodnight Charlie," Anne-Marie told us.

"Goodnight Squeaker," Charlie said with a soft smile.

I closed the curtains separating us and we all settled down to sleep. A short time later I bolted awake with the sudden feeling that something was seriously wrong. I could somehow sense a heavy amount of malice and the desire to kill and I immediately nudged Charlie and Itchy awake.

"Guys, get up, right now," I said firmly.

"Wha, Gavin? What's going on?" Charlie asked groggily.

I reached over to Anne-Marie and gently shook her awake.

"Gavin? What's wrong?" Anne-Marie asked me in confusion.

"C'mon fellas, something is not right. We need to get out of here right now!" I said urgently, getting Anne-Marie up and pushing Charlie and Itchy to the door.

As I got out of the door on my side, there was the sound of a gunshot and I crashed onto the pavement and blacked out.

* * *

Next thing I knew, I regained consciousness only to discover I was standing, my clothes felt soaked with a sticky liquid and I was holding something in my right hand.

 _"What the Hell? The others! I need to make sure they're okay!"_ I thought in alarm.

I looked to my right to see Charlie and Itchy, staring at me in complete horror and I noticed that Anne-Marie was trembling inside the cab.

"Guys! You're okay! Thank God...um, why are you two looking at me like that?" I asked in confusion.

Charlie and Itchy didn't say anything and I noticed that they were not only staring at me, they were staring at the ground in front of me.

I slowly looked down in front of me and I shouted in horror as I backed away. The ground was littered with the dead bodies of dogs, many guns and there was blood everywhere. What really horrified me was seeing what they had died from. A few bodies had multiple stab wounds and the others not only looked like they were bludgeoned to death, but were also shot in places that wouldn't kill them, but would cause extreme agony. From what I could see, somebody had prolonged their suffering in horrific ways before killing them. I gagged at the powerful smell of blood and recalled that my clothes were covered in something. I looked at my arms and saw that I was not only covered in blood, but also that I was holding a bloody knife in my right hand. I yelped and dropped the knife before quickly running over to a nearby wrecked car and vomiting out of sheer horror and disgust.

 _"Oh my God! What the Hell did I do?! Did I do that?!"_ I thought in distress.

After heaving a few times, I looked at my hands and started trembling, feeling sick and terrified that I had somehow created all this carnage. I looked at my friends who were still staring at me.

"Charlie, Itchy, what did I do? What have I done? Please, help me," I said to them, my voice cracking from the stress. I started sobbing, afraid of what I might have done and how scared I was of what was happening to me.

Charlie, and Itchy came over and hugged me, not caring about the blood on my clothes and we just sat together, knowing that something terrible was unraveling.

After a few minutes, I calmed down and looked at them, wanting to know what happened.

"Guys, what the Hell happened? Did I do this?" I hesitantly asked.

"Yes, you did this. You don't remember?" Itchy asked me.

"No, all I remember is hearing a gunshot and falling to the pavement while I was getting out of the car. Next thing I know, I'm covered in blood and seeing death all around me," I explained.

"Okay, here's what happened," Charlie said and he started explaining.

* * *

 _Charlie ducked his head when the gunshot rang out and he saw Gavin drop to the ground._

 _"Gavin! No!" Charlie shouted in horror._

 _"What's going on?!" Anne-Marie cried out in panic._

 _"Out the back, now!" Itchy said urgently._

 _Charlie, Itchy, and Anne-Marie headed towards the back when a baseball bat smashed through the back window. Then they went to another door, only for a pipe to smash the window, forcing everyone to stop moving._

 _Itchy saw Carface walking up to where Gavin's mangled dead body was lying and he kicked it to add insult to injury._

 _"That was easy. Not so tough now are you Mac?" Carface mocked before looking at the two dogs and the little girl._

 _"Carface! You killed him! You're a dead man!" Charlie roared out in grief._

 _"I wouldn't do that if I were you Charlie. I have the entire place surrounded with my men who are armed to the teeth. So if I were you, I would do what I say," Carface threatened._

 _Charlie gritted his teeth before saying, "All right, you win. Now what do you want?"_

 _"I knew you would be reasonable Charlie. Seeing as how I would like to settle this like businessmen, let's talk terms, like old times," Carface demanded._

 _"What kind of terms?" Charlie asked._

 _"It's simple, give me the girl and I may consider letting you and Itchy live. See, you and Gavin took something that belonged to me and that's stealing, which is not the proper way to do business. So how about you and me talk. Come out of that car or my next guy will put a bullet in your shoulder. It won't kill you but it will certainly hurt like Hell," Carface demanded._

 _Charlie didn't know what to do. He had gotten into some bad situations before but nothing like this. Gavin was lying motionless on the ground and they were surrounded, so the only smart thing to do was to make a deal that would benefit them all-it was their only chance of survival. Truthfully, they were completely outnumbered by thugs armed with guns so trying to fight back would be suicide. Charlie went to open the door, only for Anne-Marie to stop him by grabbing him._

 _"Charlie no! Don't go out there!" Anne-Marie pleaded._

 _"I'm losing my patience Charlie," Carface warned._

 _"Oh that is really bad. You don't want to keep the Boss waiting Charlie," Killer piped up mockingly._

 _"Shut up Killer!" Carface bellowed, causing Killer to cower behind him._

 _"Listen to her Charlie, this is crazy. You know that Carface is going to kill us and take Anne-Marie anyway," Itchy said._

 _"Alright, I'll come out, but only if you give me your word that you won't hurt us," Charlie said._

 _"Of course, I give you my word that I won't hurt you or Itchy and everything will turn out fine if you just come out and talk," Carface stated._

 _Charlie relented and opened the door and walked over to Carface, who was backed up by thugs armed with tommy guns, shotguns, pistols, bats, knives, and pipes._

 _"And here we are, just like old times, right Charlie?" Carface asked mockingly._

 _"Cut the shit Carface, just lay out your terms," Charlie growled._

 _"Getting straight to the point. That's what I alway like about you Charlie. Very well, my terms are simple. I just want the girl, that's all," Carface stated._

 _"Perhaps we could negotiate Carface, I'm making a shitload of dough at my new casino, so whatever money Itchy and I win in the races, it's all yours. That way Anne-Marie can still have a life of her own but you still make a profit, so how about it old friend?" Charlie proposed, saying the words "old friend" as if they were poison._

 _To tell the truth, it was a good deal but Carface didn't give a damn. Charlie and Gavin had tried to destroy his business by taking his golden goose and using her against him and that was unacceptable. Carface was going to kill Charlie and Itchy to make an example of what happens when you steal from Carface Caruthers._

 _"Tempting offer, but no. I'm taking the girl, and as for you and Itchy, well, that won't matter. Ice them," Carface said menacingly._

 _"We had a deal you son of a bitch! You promised that if Itchy and I left, everything would turn out fine!" Charlie shouted in anger as he was having the barrel of a gun put to the back of his head._

 _"You're right. You and Itchy go to Heaven and I make a fortune, couldn't ask for a better ending," Carface said coldly while Itchy was dragged out of the car and forced to sit next to Charlie._

 _Charlie knew that this would happen. Why in the Hell did he think that making a deal with the one that killed him and Gavin was a good idea? Now he would die again, only this time, Itchy would be coming with him. Charlie could only watch helplessly as Carface grabbed Anne-Marie and started to drag her out of the cab, causing her to scream and cry in terror._

 _Suddenly, everyone heard groaning coming from where Gavin was currently lying, every dog looked and was stunned when they saw Gavin moving and struggling to get up. He was using the hood of the cab to pull himself up and he was snarling in rage. Carface and his men were frozen in terror when they saw Gavin's eyes glowing an ominous red as he glared at them._

 _"Die," Gavin said menacingly before he charged at one thug and he started beating him brutally with his fists before stomping on his throat. Gavin started crushing the dog's throat as he smiled demonically while the dog was letting out gurgling cries. Gavin picked up his gun and lunged at the next dog, who started firing blindly in fear, praying that he hit him. Gavin tackled the dog to the ground and turned his gun around to hold it by the muzzle before smashing the butt of the gun across the dog's face. As the dog's head hit the ground, Gavin saw another thug charging at him and Gavin shot him in the stomach three times while holding a twisted smile on his face. Gavin turned back to the dog on the ground and hit the gun across his head again. Gavin chuckled at seeing the dog slowly trying to crawl away from him as he kept bludgeoning the dog with the gun until the dog stopped moving._

 _Charlie stared in complete horror at the sheer brutality being carried out by his friend. This was horrible and unnecessary, why was Gavin doing this? Charlie turned and saw Carface holding Anne-Marie, looking at Gavin in horror. Taking advantage of the distraction, Charlie broke free and knocked Carface over, grabbed Anne-Marie and ran behind a car, followed by Itchy._

 _"Charlie, Itchy, what is Gavin doing?" Anne-Marie asked in terror._

 _"He's just angry at what happened. Don't look and keep your eyes closed Squeaker," Charlie comforted her._

 _"Get the girl, don't let her escape!" Carface demanded._

 _Dogs started to head towards the car, but Gavin saw them, turned the gun around and shot the dog he was beating, then tossed the gun away and grabbed a pipe. He charged at Carface and his men, roaring._

 _"Shoot him!" Carface shouted._

 _The dogs immediately opened fire, causing one round to go through Gavin's shoulder but Gavin ignored it and kept charging at them with a psychotic grin on his face._

 _"Keep shooting! Kill him! Kill him!" Carface screamed in terror._

 _The dogs began emptying their entire mags and shells into Gavin; one round struck him in his ribs, causing him to stumble but he kept running at them while another round hit him in the chest but he ignored it. A third round hit him in the stomach and a fourth struck him on the side of his neck but he still kept coming. Gavin lunged at them with an animalistic snarl, smashing the pipe onto a dog's skull, killing him. Gavin then hit another dog in the ribs, causing him to start choking for breath before Gavin swung the pipe down, cracking the dog's head. Gavin let out a chuckle before beating the dog continuously with the pipe while he was smiling sadistically._

 _"No more...please stop..." The dog pleaded weakly._

 _"Your suffering has just begun," Gavin said coldly before bringing the pipe down on him again. Suddenly, more bullets struck him. Gavin dropped the pipe, picked up the dog that was shooting him and casually snapped his neck._

 _Itchy felt sick at seeing the carnage. Who he was looking at was not Gavin but a monster, sure Gavin had killed before but it was in self-defense. What Itchy saw was not self-defense, but a massacre. What has Gavin become?_

 _"You'll wish I'll kill you quickly Carface," Gavin said with a cruel smirk._

 _"Fire! Fire something! Anything for Christ sakes!" Carface screamed desperately._

 _Gavin began to walk casually at them while bullets and buckshot continued ripping right through him. He wasn't bothered by all the rounds and he kept strolling to them in a terrifying manner. Gavin approached the dogs and grabbed one by the neck before smashing his head through a car window. Picking a knife up from the ground, Gavin grabbed another dog and stabbed him in the heart before dropping the body. Gavin then grabbed a third dog and stabbed him in the gut before pushing him against a wall and what he did next would stay in everyone's minds for the rest of their lives, Gavin started butchering the dog by stabbing him repeatedly, causing blood to spray all over him, making Gavin look like a crazed serial killer._

 _Anne-Marie kept trying not to cry while Charlie kept her eyes shielded, he couldn't let Anne-Marie see this, it was way too disturbing and it would scar her for life._

 _"Just keep your eyes closed Squeaker, don't look," Charlie said gently._

 _"What's happening?" Anne-Marie sobbed out._

 _"Don't think about it, you're with your family right now. You're not here Anne-Marie," Itchy said._

 _Carface picked up a shotgun and saw Gavin staring at him with those awful glowing eyes. Gavin growled and charged at Carface with a primal scream. Carface fired buckshot into Gavin's gut, ribs, chest, shoulder, leg, and knee but nothing worked._

 _"Die! Die! Die!" Carface frantically yelled in terror._

 _Gavin kept roaring as he approached Carface, who pulled out a revolver and continued firing. Gavin shrugged off the shots and lunged at Carface, who shot him three times in the head, sending Gavin crashing to the floor immobile. Carface waited to see if he had killed him, only to see Gavin starting to get up a few seconds later. Carface was filled with a fear he hadn't felt since his old owners abandoned him on the streets on Christmas when he was a puppy._

 _"He's not human!" Killer exclaimed in a paralyzing fear._

 _"Get everyone and get the Hell out of here! We can't kill him!" Carface shouted, turning around and running for his life._

 _Killer grabbed any survivors and they all fled the junkyard. What they saw was not Gavin McCall, that wasn't a human, that was a demon from Hell._

 _Charlie and Itchy slowly emerged from their hiding place and froze up when they saw Gavin getting up and glaring at where the dogs ran. Suddenly, the red glow in Gavin's eyes disappeared and his look changed from sadistic glee to confusion and panic before he looked at Charlie and_ Itchy.

* * *

"And that's what happened," Charlie concluded.

I didn't say anything, but just looked at my hands that were responsible for so much bloodshed as it all came flooding back to me. I remembered everything, how I died by being shot and burned alive and how I slaughtered those dogs. What really scared me was how good it felt when I had brutalized them before taking their lives in a horrific way and I knew that I was turning into something evil.

"What's happening to me fellas?" I asked.

"We don't know, but we need to talk to Flo about this. That wasn't you Gavin, it was almost like you were possessed by something unholy. If there is anyone that knows what the Hell is going on, then it's Flo" Itchy said seriously.

"No! We can't tell her. Just let me burn these clothes and get all this blood off of me. I can't let Anne-Marie see me like this, it would give her nightmares for the rest of her life and we need to get rid of the bodies and clean up the blood," I said.

Charlie and Itchy nodded, then I started walking to the nearby safe-house. Just before I went inside to scrub all the blood off me, I heard a dark demonic voice laughing and I looked at my life watch, knowing that Charlie and I had made a horrible mistake by forcing ourselves out of Heaven.


	17. Chapter 16

New Orleans, Louisiana, June 8, 1939.

 _I was screaming-my waist was in a massive pool of boiling blood and my upper body was being forcibly held in a crucifix position by spikes piercing my hands and torso. Meat hooks were jammed into my ribs and being painfully lifted outwards. I was in so much agony, that I didn't have the strength to keep screaming. As I gagged, I instinctively thrashed to get away from the torture, but that only succeeded in causing the spikes and the hooks to pull on my ribs further. I could feel my blood running down my throat but I couldn't puke any of it up. Suddenly, a shadowy monstrous demon came out of nowhere and it grabbed the spikes in my arms and began to slowly pull them out, causing me to let out agonizing screams as my joints were severed and my flesh and bones were torn apart. I sank lower into the boiling blood but the hooks and spikes prevented me from falling in. I looked up and saw the Hellhound monster smiling sadistically at my suffering. I tried to drag my legs out of the blood but when I did, I was horrified to see that they were almost gone. The Hellhound grabbed me and pulled me out of the blood to show me that my legs were completely gone before it let me sink down on the spikes and hooks again. I felt a rib crack and a second one pull out of place to collide with a third rib that was shattered. I gasped and gagged, trying to breathe as my body was being brutalized. I then looked up to see The Hellhound reaching for me._

 _ **"Do you want it to end?"** The Hellhound asked me._

 _"Please...no more...make it stop," I begged weakly._

 _The Hellhound reached a huge monstrous claw at me and pulled my body free, leaving behind the ribs that were still attached to the spikes and hooks, and throwing me across the boiling blood. I screamed weakly as I crashed onto the rocky ground, slipping into shock and twitching uncontrollably from the pain. The Hellhound leaned over me and just for a second I thought he might be finished torturing me, but then he opened his mouth and breathed fire, lighting me up with a white hot pain even worse than anything I had yet experienced. I smelled my own burning flesh as the ground below me came to life with thorn-encrusted bones erupting, shredding and wrapping around what was left of me, lifting me into the air. The Hellhound laughed in my face and unleashed another inferno on me as I howled in agony from being burned alive._

 _ **"This is one potential end,"** The Hellhound said._

 _The sharp bones and thorns wrapped around me even more, tearing into what was left of my flesh. I could feel my muscles and organs being eaten away by acid dripping from the bones that were crushing me.  
_

 _"Please..." I choked out, but stopped when I suddenly heard a familiar voice begging for mercy._

 _A large mirror appeared in front of me, showing Carface running, frantically trying to get away from someone I couldn't see. He stopped suddenly, trapped against a wall, cowering._

 _"Please! No! Make it stop! Please!" Carface pleaded desperately to whoever was chasing him. When two figures came into view and I recognized them, my eyes widened in horror._

 _The figures were a monstrous humanoid creature and a demonic German Shepherd. The humanoid was large and muscular, with skin that appeared to be a plate-like armor visible below the tattered clothing that hung from its bulbous frame. Multitudes of razor sharp teeth ground together inside a crooked mouth below glowing red eyes, and vicious looking claws extended from elongated fingers at the end of its misshapen arms. The dog-like creature's ribs were sticking out of its body, wrapping around its torso like some sort of skeletal armor. Jagged spikes jutted out of its joints, providing horrific weapons for cutting and slashing attacks. It's red eyes glowed below horns protruding from its misshapen head. I was horrified because I knew that those monsters were Charlie and me. I stared at the demons that used to be me and my friend as my demonic self grabbed Carface and laughed psychotically._

 _"Please...let it end," Carface whimpered._

 _ **"It will never end. How does that sound partner?"** The demonic version of Charlie asked mockingly and what I saw next, I would never be able to get out of my head._

 _The demonic version of me threw Carface to the floor and the two demons brutally sliced his abdomen open and began to feast upon him like wild rabid animals as he screamed in pain and terror. The monster that used to be me then turned to look at me and lunged out of the mirror, grabbing me and roaring in my face. The monster laughed as it dragged me down into the boiling blood. The last thing I saw before I was engulfed was the monster grinning sadistically at me as everything went black._

* * *

I shot awake with a gasp to see that I was in the church. I turned to look at Charlie, who was thrashing around and screaming in his sleep. I knew that he was having one of the same nightmares that I had just had. I shook Charlie to wake him up.

"Charlie! Wake up! It's just a nightmare!" I exclaimed. I saw Flo coming over to see what the commotion was and I held a hand up to stop her so I could calm Charlie down without having to explain to her what was happening.

"No! Somebody help me!" Charlie yelled in terror.

Without thinking, I slapped Charlie across the muzzle and he shot awake gasping for breath, looking at me questioningly.

"Gavin? Ow, who hit me?" Charlie asked while he was rubbing his muzzle in pain.

"Sorry. That was me. I was trying to wake you up," I said sheepishly.

"Where's Anne-Marie?" Charlie asked.

Flo came forward, now that Charlie was awake and responded, "She's okay, I didn't want her to see either of you freaking out like this, but you and Gavin have a lot of explaining to do Charlie," Flo said seriously.

"Flo, what do you mean me and Charlie have a lot to explain? What did Itchy tell you?" I asked, feeling pissed that Itchy didn't listen to me.

"He told me everything, you two should have come to me earlier. Gavin, Itchy told me you turned into a remorseless killer in that junkyard and that you have been having horrific nightmares. No more stalling you two, tell me what happened when Carface tried to kill you both," Flo demanded.

I knew that Flo wasn't screwing around because she had never demanded anything before. Since she was, it was definitely a sign that she was shaken up by what Itchy told her. I knew that Charlie and I needed to tell the truth now.

"You're right Flo, I'll tell you. When we died, Charlie and I wound up in a place called the Hall of Judgment. We met a pink Whippet called Annabelle who told us that it was our time and that we needed to go to Heaven. Annabelle showed us the two watches representing our lives that had wound down, meaning we were dead. We stole the watches and wound them up again, which is how we came back to the mortal world," I explained, as Flo to stare at us in a mixture of disbelief and concern.

"Charlie, Gavin, what have you done?" Flo said with a tremble.

"What have we done? Flo, what do you mean?" Charlie asked her.

"You and Gavin should've listened to Annabelle, Charlie. You fools," Flo stated grimly.

"How do you know Annabelle, Flo?" I asked in confusion.

Flo didn't say anything, but went over to a desk drawer, opened it and took out a book to show us. She opened the book and flipped a few pages, looking for something. She stopped and read a section, then turned it toward us.

"I learned about Annabelle a long time ago. She's one of the original angels and a central figure in Heaven. Charlie, Gavin, show me your watches," Flo demanded.

Charlie and I presented our watches and Flo took a good look at them before she stared back at us in disbelief.

"Charlie! Gavin! Do you two have any idea what you've done?! Do ether of you realize what is happening to you both?!" Flo shouted incredulously.

I had an idea on what was happening to not only me, but Charlie as well, and I prayed that I was wrong. Though judging from Flo's reaction, I had an ugly feeling in my gut that I was right, which didn't make me feel good at all.

"Flo, what's happening to us? Why did I massacre those dogs and why are Charlie and I having these nightmares?" I asked uneasily.

"Gavin, you and Charlie gave up your rightful places in Heaven and gave yourselves over to them. Your souls are tainted and they are slowly changing into something ugly," Flo said sorrowfully.

"Into what?" I asked dreadfully.

"Do ether of you feel like you're burning in here?" Flo asked us.

"Now that you mention it, yes," I said fanning my face to get rid of the burning feeling, not that it was going to work.

"Same here, I feel the same way," Charlie said, also trying to fan himself.

"I was afraid of this. You two are turning into demons, you both never truly came back," Flo said.

"No, that's stupid Flo. There is no way that any of that is true. Where's your proof?" Charlie demanded.

I didn't blame Charlie for reacting like that, I didn't want to believe it either, but I knew that denying it was pointless and the only thing I could do was accept that Charlie and I were damned and that we were going to Hell for what we'd done.

"Charlie, look at Gavin's wounds. He's not bleeding because there's nothing there, no muscle, no tissue or anything else, just bone and they're already changing," Flo explained fearfully.

"No! Gavin's feeling fine right now and killing Carface's men was in the heat of the moment! Gavin's not bleeding because our watches makes us immortal, that's all!" Charlie exclaimed in denial.

"No Charlie, you and Gavin are not alive. There's nothing there, your souls came back and animated your corpses. Charlie, Gavin, both of you are literally walking corpses that your souls are twisting," Flo said in disgust.

"Flo, what do you mean that we are walking corpses?" I asked in equal disgust.

"That's what demons are, they are the walking dead that corrupted souls keep functioning," Flo answered.

I had heard of messed up things before but this was beyond sickening. What Flo was describing to us was a fate worse than death, and even that would be a mercy compared to what I just heard. Demons were nothing more then walking corpses that didn't bleed or have any muscle or tissue and their souls rotted and decayed anything they touched. They abandoned any sense of morality and reveled in sadism. This was just wrong on any kind of level. And what truly terrified me was that because of our selfishness, Charlie and I were both going to become one of those things.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps and I turned around to see Anne-Marie looking at us, holding a familiar wallet.

 _"Oh shit,"_ I thought, knowing that things just got worse.

"Charlie, Gavin? Where did you two get this?" Anne-Marie asked us.

Charlie and I tried to come up with an excuse but our hesitation told her everything.

"You stole it?" Anne-Marie asked us, looking upset.

"Anne-Marie, it's not what it looks like," Charlie said.

"You two stole it," Anne-Marie said in disbelief before she stormed back to her room.

"Anne-Marie wait, we can explain... And she's gone," I said before grumbling, " Great, as if this night couldn't get any worse."

Seeing the look of hurt on Anne-Marie's face made me feel like a piece of shit. I headed over to the bathroom to wash my face, feeling my body burning at the church's holy presence. As I washed my hands, I looked into the mirror feeling truly hopeless and guilty. There was no getting out of this situation, Charlie and I crossed a line we never should have crossed and because of that, we were paying because of it. We couldn't keep living or we would become something unholy and we would hurt everyone we cared about because of it but if we destroyed the watches that represent our lives, then we would be condemned to Hell and we would suffer for all of eternity. It wouldn't make a difference because we were damned either way. I took the watch off my wrist and looked at it before putting it on the floor and I raised my foot to destroy it. This was for the best. Even though I would go through endless torture in Hell, at least I wouldn't hurt anyone I cared about. I prepared to smash the watch but I just kept hesitating until I let out a yell of frustration and put the watch back on my wrist. I couldn't go through with it, showing just how selfish and pathetic I was.

I looked back at the mirror and I could see my demonic self staring back. I looked down and splashed some water over my face to cool down and when I looked up to see the Hellhound staring back at me through the mirror, I backed away in fear.

"You stay away from me you foul demon!" I exclaimed in panic.

 **"Calm yourself Gavin, I have not come to torment you nor is it my desire despite how it may seen,"** The Hellhound said calmly.

"Not your desire?! You have done nothing but torment me in my dreams whenever I would go to sleep, you son of a bitch!" I yelled in a pissed off tone.

 **"Those aren't dreams Gavin. Every time you sleep, I am dragging your soul into Hell,"** The Hellhound replied.

I wasn't all that surprised at what it said, considering how real my nightmares were.

"If you don't want to torture me, then why the Hell are you doing it? What possible reason could you have for doing it?" I questioned.

 **"The reason why I am tormenting you is to prepare you. You believe suffering is your only choice but there is another way. Your darkness that is staring back at you, you see it because it is you,"** The Hellhound answered.

"So, you're basically giving me the choice of becoming that monster? Why in God's name would I ever do that after what it did and what I saw it do?" I asked in disgust.

 **"Do not utter that name in my presence. As for the reason why, I'll show you,"** The Hellhound said and it grabbed me and pulled me through the mirror.

As we were heading back to the infernos of Hell, I struggled to get away but The Hellhound kept a grip on me that seemed almost comforting. When we arrived in Hell, The Hellhound opened its hand, letting me gaze out at the place that was responsible for my torment.

 **"What do you see?"** The Hellhound asked me.

"Pain and suffering," I said lowly, hearing the screams of agony ringing out all over the place.

 **"Whose pain and suffering?"** the Hellhound asked again.

I didn't understand where this was heading, or what the Hellhound was asking me. I didn't know the purpose of this change of demeanor. The Hellhound almost seemed compassionate, and I knew that couldn't be true. If there was one thing I knew about demons in fiction, it was that they were masters of manipulation. I concluded that this thing was trying to con me so that I could damn myself further and I decided to play along to see what this unholy thing had planned for me.

 **"Gavin, this is a place for those who are cruel and take pleasure in causing pain and suffering; they are merely getting what they deserve for what they escaped in life,"** the Hellhound told me.

"And what did they escape?" I questioned.

 **"Justice,"** The Hellhound simply answered.

I had an idea of what this thing was trying to do but I couldn't help keep playing along out of curiosity.

"What justice did I deserve?" I questioned.

 **"Do not lie to me Gavin. You and Charlie have hurt many Innocents and you hurt that little girl. You and Charlie are dark souls that are deserving of justice. However, I believe that for all that you two have done, it is not enough to be damned souls here. Your lives were taken cruelly and unjustly and you two just sought to reclaim them but Heaven rejects you both for that,"** The Hellhound said with pity.

"So, what do you want from me then?" I asked in a false naivety. I knew what this bastard was doing, the Hellhound was trying to make itself out to be a victim of Hell in order to manipulate me but I wasn't stupid.

 **"I seek to grant you the retribution you were denied and to offer a chance to escape your undeserving punishment,"** The Hellhound answered.

"How are you going to do that?" I asked, interested in what this demon had in mind for me.

 **"A choice. You and Charlie are condemned here Gavin- there's no changing that, but you and Charlie don't have to suffer. I can see that you believe in justice just as much as I do and that those who do wrong should be punished. And if the mortal world won't do it, then it falls to us to make certain that those they hurt find proper retribution for their pain. If you and Charlie accept your corruption, you two will become demons instead of tormented souls when you die. And once you become demons, you will be able to to give those poor souls the retribution they deserve and punish those that cause pain and suffering,"** The Hellhound stated.

As much as I hated to admit it, the offer was very tempting, but I had no intention of going through with it. So what I was going to do was pretend to accept the deal and fool it completely by making it look like I was damning myself even further. I didn't know if it was even possible to con a demon but even if it finds out about my deceit and my suffering increases tenfold, at least I wouldn't hurt anyone I cared about when I died again.

"I want to hurt those that take pleasure in other people's suffering. To make them get what they deserve. I seek justice," I lied to The Hellhound.

 **"We all do, and that is why we exist Gavin, to deliver it. Abandon the morals you have and embrace what you are becoming and those who hurt that little girl will see true justice and her pain will be avenged,"** The Hellhound said.

I gave a nod to fully convince the Hellhound and it returned me to the bathroom and disappeared. I looked into the mirror and saw the monster again and I swore I wouldn't become that thing, not knowing that because of me trying to con The Hellhound, I had led myself even further into damnation.


	18. Chapter 17

New Orleans, Louisiana, June 8, 1939.

Carface was sitting in his chair, still reeling from the horrors of what he had just seen and still trying to understand what Gavin had become because truthfully, it made no sense to him at all. Gavin should've been dead a hundred times over, yet he still kept getting up with no signs of damage at all. Gavin didn't seem human but more like a horrific monster; at least Carface knew how Charlie and Gavin survived their presumed deaths now, they weren't even mortal. This was a massive problem. If Charlie and Gavin weren't mortal, how exactly was Carface supposed to kill them? Was it even possible to kill them? Those were pretty good questions and ones Carface wasn't sure he had the answers to.

Carface looked at his men who were still trembling and unable to get any sleep at all. He didn't blame them for that, what they had seen would give anyone nightmares for the rest of their lives. Carface turned to Killer who looked like he was going to be sick, staring back at Carface with an expression of terror.

"Boss, that was horrible. Hell, terrifying doesn't even begin to describe it," Killer stated, looking green from what he saw.

"What's your point Killer?" Carface asked, having an idea about where this was going.

"Forget about Charlie and Gavin. Forget about the money. The girl, just forget about it all," Killer said, trembling.

"Give up?! Surrender the fortune I rightfully earned and let those bastards win?!" Carface yelled in outrage.

"They will kill you if you don't!" Killer shouted back. Carface was surprised, it was the first time he recalled Killer shouting at anyone, including him and as much as he hated to admit it, Killer had a point. If Carface kept waging this war against Charlie and Gavin, he would certainly get himself killed but he couldn't let them win. Carface gritted his teeth as he could almost imagine the smug looks on those bastards' faces when he did give up. He needed to find a way to kill them. They had to have some kind of weakness.

"You have a point Killer, but there is a problem. I'm not going to give up the fortune I rightfully earned and I can't run away, I'm no coward. So the only thing I can do is find some kind of weakness and then I'll win," Carface stubbornly said, causing Killer to stare at him in disbelief.

"Are you hearing yourself Boss? How are we going to find a weakness? You saw what happened. Guns don't work on one of them, so how are we gonna find a weakness?" Killer asked.

"Patience Killer. If there is one thing I learned while growing up on the streets, it's that everything has a weakness. We just need to find it and when we do, Charlie and Gavin will be dead and I'll get back my golden goose," Carface said, chuckling.

Killer didn't know about this but if Charlie and Gavin did have a weakness, then they all might have a chance to kill the banes of their existence and everything will be just fine again.

* * *

I was sitting outside the church, not wanting to go back inside due to it's holy presence causing me pain and thinking about what I did to Carface's men.

 _"What have I become?"_ I thought, looking at my hands, unable to get the screams of agony out of my head.

What really scared me was how it felt so good killing them in such a horrific manner and how eager I am to take more lives. My thoughts turned to Anne-Marie and guilt rose up again, remembering the look of hurt on her face when she found out that Charlie and I had stolen that wallet. I heard someone approaching me from behind and I looked to see it was Flo.

"I'm surprised Flo, I didn't expect you to want be around a damned soul," I said.

"No, but I want to be with one of two people I greatly value," Flo answered.

"It doesn't change anything, you know that," I said bitterly.

"I know. And if you and Charlie were wondering where Itchy is, he left today. He said he didn't want to be around all this anymore," Flo told me.

I didn't blame Itchy for leaving, I couldn't imagine how agonizing this was for him, seeing his close friends changing into monsters. To be honest, I was happy he left, I didn't want Itchy to see us rotting away into demons.

"It's for the best, he shouldn't have to deal with all of this," I stated.

"So Anne-Marie knows that you and Charlie are not the good people you two say you are," Flo said.

"I know. Just seeing her reaction like that makes me feel like crap," I said guiltily.

"If you feel so bad about it then you shouldn't have lied to her and taken advantage of her. I also wanted to let you know that I told her that bringing back the wallet was the right thing to do," Flo said sternly.

"What did you do Flo?" I asked softly in fury.

"I gave her a choice. To right your crime against those two people or not," Flo said.

I was livid. Who was she to decide how Charlie and I took care of Anne-Marie? I wanted to make her pay for going behind our backs and doing this. Smoke started coming off of me as I grabbed her and lifted her up, letting out a demonic snarl.

"How dare you! Who are you to decide how Anne-Marie should be raised?! You're going to pay for this!" I roared.

I wanted blood, to make her scream in agony for this great offense. I raised my fist to punish her for what she did when my eyes widened in realization at what I was doing and I dropped her and backed away in horror.

 _"Holy shit! What the hell am I doing?!"_ I thought in a panic, horrified that I was about to hurt Flo.

"Is that how you treat those you care about, Gavin?" Flo asked me, though it didn't sound like a question.

"Where is Anne-Marie?" I asked, trying to fight against the dark urge to gut Flo.

"You know where Gavin. And if you or Charlie truly care about her, then let her stay with that family so that she can be happy. The choice is yours," Flo said before she walked away, leaving me to my thoughts.

I was disgusted with myself for what I had almost done. I realized with a growing horror that my transformation was happening faster then I thought and I started thinking about what Flo said. Anne-Marie possibly had the family she longed for and the right thing to do would be to stay away and let her live a life and have a normal childhood with two loving people. If Charlie and I were to show up, we would be doing the selfish thing by taking her away from her new home. I was so conflicted that I almost didn't see Charlie running up to me, looking panicked.

"Gavin! Anne-Marie's gone!" Charlie exclaimed.

"I know," I said.

"What! How the Hell did you-?! You know what, I'm not even going to ask. C'mon, she's at 402 Maple Street," Charlie said and he took off with me right behind him.

As we were running, I knew that we were making a big mistake and I started wondering if getting revenge on Carface was even worth it anymore.

* * *

Anne-Marie was sitting at the kitchen table with Harold and Kate, eating waffles.

When Anne-Marie arrived at 402 Maple Street, she was understandably nervous. She didn't know if the couple would be angry or not for having their wallet being stolen but when she gave the wallet back to Harold, she was surprised when he and Kate weren't angry and that they showed how appreciated they were by making her waffles and thanking her.

"I just wanted to thank you again for returning my wallet. What you did was very nice Anne-Marie," Harold said. He already thanked her a few times but he couldn't help it. Her actions surprised him since it wasn't common for someone willing to do the right thing, and he wanted to let her know how thankful he was for what she did.

"Of course. It wasn't mine so bringing it back was the right thing to do," Anne-Marie told him.

"Well aren't you sweet, how are the waffles Anne-Marie?" Kate asked her.

"They're very good, thank you. This house is the most beautiful place I've ever seen," Anne-Marie told them.

"Thank you Anne-Marie, but what about your home?" Kate asked. Truthfully, she wanted to ask this question when she and her husband met her back in March but didn't have the chance to.

"I live with Charlie, Gavin and Itchy. Charlie and Itchy are our dogs and Gavin's been looking after me until he finds me a family," Anne-Marie said cheerfully.

This sweet little girl lived with a stranger and two dogs-something about this didn't feel right. Back in March when Kate and her husband had met Gavin, something felt off about him, like there was something dishonest and he seemed to be giving Anne-Marie a look that Kate didn't like. After Anne-Marie left with Gavin, Kate had felt concerned for the little girl's safety and hoped that Gavin wasn't abusing her. When Anne-Marie showed up today with Harold's wallet, Kate was relieved that she was still okay but what really concerned her is that Anne-Marie was still staying with a stranger. Kate didn't like this. This girl was kind and caring but her story just didn't sound right. Why didn't she mention her parents or any other relatives? Kate had an idea as to why Anne-Marie didn't talk about her parents but she needed to ask anyways.

"I love dogs sweetie but where are your parents?" Kate asked gently.

"I don't have any parents," Anne-Marie said, looking forlorn.

Harold was honestly expecting this kind of answer but it was still heartbreaking to hear it. This poor girl was an orphan and why nobody had adopted her yet was something Harold couldn't understand for the life of him. Maybe he was jumping to conclusions and Anne-Marlie lived with her grandparents, it wouldn't hurt to ask.

"Then where do you stay?" Harold asked her.

"Well, currently, I stay at the old church with Flo, a friend of Charlie and Gavin," Anne-Marie answered.

Kate tried to keep herself from letting out a gasp at the information. This poor little girl clearly didn't understand why what she told them would be shocking. She was an orphan that not only didn't have a home, she also wasn't staying at the nearby orphanage and was taking residence in some broken down church with only a stranger and his dogs to keep her company. Kate looked at Harold and he gave her a slight nod to show that he was concerned for Anne-Marie's well being also.

"Anne-Marie, could you excuse us for a moment?" Kate asked her. Anne-Marie nodded, happily involved in her waffles. Harold and Kate left the kitchen and stood in the hallway, speaking in hushed tones.

"Harold, we can't let her leave here with nowhere to go," Kate said in concern.

"I know honey but we can't force her to stay ether," Harold replied.

"She likes it here so I doubt she'll say no," Kate said.

"You're right, but are we ready to take this on?" Harold asked.

"We'll deal with that as we go along. We just need to make sure that poor girl has a roof over her head for the time being," Kate answered.

Harold and Kate knew what this meant. They couldn't let that sweet little girl go back to that rundown church and she had nowhere else left to go, so they were the only ones that could help her now. What they suggested was simple and direct, Anne-Marie would stay with them and while it wouldn't be a temporary thing, they knew that admitting it was a pretty big step. They were probably going to start raising a child and even though it was going to be a pretty big responsibility, they needed to do it for Anne-Marie's sake.

Anne-Marie was waiting for Harold and Kate to come back when she heard a noise coming from outside. Turning around and looking out the window, she saw Charlie crouched just under the window and Gavin standing nearby, the both of them looking kinda funny.

* * *

I saw Anne-Marie waving at me and I waved back. Looking around and not seeing anyone, I walked over to the window and smiled, feeling happy that Anne-Marie was okay.

"Gavin? Are you feeling better then you did last night?" Anne-Marie asked me.

"Yeah, I was just having a bad night. Carface and his men were going to hurt you and I couldn't let that happen," I told her.

Anne-Marie seemed to accept that and nodded, not knowing that Charlie and I were anything but fine.

"Okay Gavin, I understand. I brought the wallet back to Harold and Kate and they weren't mad at all for what happened. They seem to like me staying here," Anne-Marie said happily.

I was relieved that Anne-Marie was potentially going to have a home, at least she would have a normal childhood now. I looked at Charlie and I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach when I saw a look of possessiveness cross his muzzle for just a second before he smiled at Anne-Marie.

"That's great to hear Squeaker, I'm glad to see you have finally found a home for yourself. So, are you going to be staying here?" Charlie asked.

"I don't know, they're still talking. Would you and Gavin be alright with that?" Anne-Marie asked us.

"We did promise we would find you a family, didn't we?" I asked her, which was the truth. Charlie and I finally found her a home and we could say goodbye to her and let her go but something about Charlie made me feel uneasy.

"Gavin's right. We did find you a family, heck, I'll stay with you if that's what you want. Mind if I take a look inside the place that could be my home?" Charlie asked her.

"Try not to trail anything in and don't make a mess. they're very nice. What about you Gavin, are you going to stay here too?" Anne-Marie asked me.

"Oh no Sweetie, they're not going to let some stranger stay in their home. But I wouldn't mind coming over to visit from time to time if that's okay with them," I said.

"I would love that Gavin, how about you come inside to take a look," Anne-Marie said.

Charlie climbed through the window and after making sure there was no one nearby, I climbed in. Charlie and I walked softly through the kitchen and into the living room so Harold and Kate didn't hear us. Suddenly, I felt my skin burning and I looked to see an old cross hanging on the wall. It wasn't very big but it still burned all the same. I heard Charlie letting out a low growl and I turned to see him giving the cross a smoldering glare, looking like he wanted to throw a fireball at it. Judging from the heat that was rising from his body, Charlie could actually do it. Ignoring the demon in me screaming to destroy the cross, Charlie and I approached the entrance that led into the hallway and we peered into the hallway to see Harold talking to someone on the phone before he hung up and looked at his wife.

"No one at the nearby orphanage has even heard of her. No one knows this girl Kate, so no one is going to take her in," Harold said, looking understandably upset.

"We took her in. We took care of her, now get away from her before I make you," Charlie whispered menacingly, his eyes glowing blood red.

Suddenly, Charlie had this evil grin on his muzzle and he went back into the living room. I followed him, not liking where this was going. Charlie knocked over a lamp, causing it to land onto the floor with a loud crash, making me jump. We immediately went out the window and headed back around to the kitchen where Anne-Marie was still finishing her waffles.

"Charlie? Gavin? What's going on?" Anne-Marie asked us.

"We really had faith in them. How could they do this after what you had told them?" Charlie said, putting on a disgusted facade.

"What do you mean?" Anne-Marie asked in confusion.

"Anne-Marie, they aren't letting you stay. It's too much responsibility for them," Charlie lied.

"What?" Anne-Marie said, looking clearly hurt.

"C'mon, we don't want you to hear this. Let's go back to your real home," Charlie told her, holding out a paw of reassurance.

Anne-Marie started sobbing which made me feel sick to my stomach, I hated myself for not stopping Charlie when I had the chance to. As Charlie helped Anne-Marie out the window and we walked back to the church, I knew that we couldn't do this anymore.

 _"God forgive us for what we did,"_ I thought, knowing that Charlie and I were past the point of no return.


	19. Chapter 18

New Orleans, Louisiana, June 8, 1939.

I was sitting outside, feeling like the world's biggest scumbag. What Charlie and I had done was completely unforgivable. We crushed a little girl's hopes and dreams and now we were past the point of no return. I looked at my refection in a puddle and saw my demonic self staring back. I could hear dark voices in my mind urging me to inflict pain and suffering. In a fit of self-loathing, I slapped my hand across the puddle, feeling ashamed. Then I felt a presence behind me and I turned to see Flo.

"What do you see?" Flo asked me.

"What I am, who I am," I said, feeling guilty.

"And why is it that you have become this way? What led you there?" Flo questioned me.

I didn't know why my life had turned out this way, why I wound up in 1930s New Orleans and why everything turned out this way. I pondered Flo's question, trying to figure out what had driven me down this dark path. Was it because of Carface killing Charlie and me? Or, was it because of my Mother passing away? I didn't know the answer to Flo's question and figured that it was all the above.

"I don't know. The life I lived I suppose," I said bitterly, causing Flo to growl in frustration.

"The life you lived? So you're the victim now?" Flo asked coldly.

"I said I didn't know but I am certainly no victim. I didn't ask for my life to turn out this way," I snapped in irritation.

"You still don't understand. If your Mother could see what you have become, she would be so ashamed," Flo said, causing me to snap.

"How dare you! You have no right to go there! My Mother believed in your faith, only it turned out to be complete garbage! Where was God while she was dying in a damn hospital bed!" I yelled in fury.

"I'm truly sorry about your Mother, but don't ever think you were forced into this Gavin. You made your choice and now it's too late," Flo said sternly.

"Don't you dare say you're sorry! You have no idea what it's like to experience the pain of losing somebody you care about. But since you're here, I'll tell you all about it. It all started when I was fifteen," I began to say.

* * *

 _Dallas, Texas, May 15, 2012._

 _I was doing my homework, hoping that I would be done soon._

 _"Ugh, I hate homework," I thought in irritation._

 _After I was done, I went downstairs and saw my parents watching TV._

 _"Hey there Son, are you finished?" My Dad asked me.  
_

 _"Yep, I am free of the tyranny called homework," I remarked humorously._

 _"Smartass. Anyway, now that you're done, it's time for dinner," My Dad said, rolling his eyes._

 _I nodded as my parents got up to go to the kitchen. On the way, my Mother stumbled a little, looking dizzy._

 _"Whoa. Mom, are you okay?" I asked in concern. I'd noticed that my Mother had been having dizzy spells for a few days now and it had been worrying me and my dad._

 _"Don't worry Gavin, I'm fine. I'm going to use the bathroom," My Mom reassured me, before she continued walking to the downstairs bathroom._

 _I knew something was wrong with Mom. Tomorrow, Dad and I were going to take her to the Doctor to see if she's okay. I walked over to the dinner table and sat down, waiting for Mom to finish up._

 _When Mom hadn't come back after a few minutes, my Dad and I looked at each other in concern and we both got up and headed over to the bathroom. Dad knocked on the door._

 _"Sharon, are you okay? It's Danny and Gavin," My Dad called out._

 _When there was no answer, my Dad tried to open the door but it wouldn't budge._

 _"Sharon! Can you hear me?! Open the door!" Dad cried out in panic, banging on the door._

 _I moved my Dad aside and rammed the door with my shoulder a few times, then kicked it open. When I saw my Mother lying on the ground, not moving, horror ran through me._

 _"Mom! Oh my God! Dad, call 911!" I yelled in distress and immediately checked on her to see if she was still breathing._

 _"Mom, can you hear me?! It's your son!" I exclaimed franticly._

 _I didn't know how long I stayed with her, it seemed like forever until someone gently grabbed me by the shoulders and pulled me away from my Mom. I could see that the person that pulled me away was an EMT. His partner had gone to check on her._

 _"Mrs. McCall, can you hear me? No response. Let's get her over to the E.R," The man said and he and his partner loaded her onto a stretcher and quickly got her into the ambulance outside._

 _"C'mon Son, we'll follow them in the truck," Dad said and we made our way to the hospital as quickly as we could._

 _After arriving at the ER, we went into the waiting room and sat down, hoping that Mom was going to be okay._

 _Some time later, a Doctor showed up and he looked at us._

 _"Daniel and Gavin McCall?" The man asked._

 _"Yes, that's us. How's my wife? Is she okay?" Dad asked him out of concern._

 _"She's stable, but there is something you and your son need to know. You two are going to need to sit down for this," The man said._

 _When he told us what was wrong with my Mom, it felt like my whole world was falling apart. My Mother had ovarian cancer. They had given her a CAT scan and it had revealed that the cancer had spread into her lymph system and had grown throughout her body._

 _"So that's it? There's nothing you can do?" My Father asked, looking like he was going to cry._

 _"I'm sorry Mr. McCall. If it had been caught early, then maybe there would have been treatment that would've saved her life but unfortunately, it has spread too much to be operated on and in her current condition, chemotherapy or radiation would be very risky with not much chance of success." The Doctor explained sympathetically._

 _"How long does she have?" I asked._

 _"Five months, six if she is lucky. The only advise I can give you is to spend what time you have left with her," he informed us._

 _"Thank you. Can we see her?" Dad asked him._

 _"Of course, follow me," The Doctor said. As we followed him to my Mom's room, I knew that things were only going to go downhill from there._

 _(Five months later)._

 _It had been Hell ever since my Mother was diagnosed with cancer. What was really agonizing was seeing my Mother wasting away in a hospital bed, getting thinner and barely able to speak. Today was the day that my Mother was going to die and I felt like crying._

 _My Dad and I walked into the room, along with our other family members and I sat down next to my Mother, holding her hand and feeling completely powerless._

 _"Gavin...is that you?" My Mother asked weakly._

 _"I'm here Mom. Everyone is here, even Uncle Patrick," I said, my eyes watering up._

 _"I see, I'm happy, knowing that I'll pass on from this world with my family by my side, and I'll be welcomed into Heaven and accepted by God with open arms. Gavin, I want you to promise me something," my Mother said._

 _"What is it?" I choked out, tears running down my face._

 _"Promise me that you will always do the right thing," my Mother said._

 _"I promise," I swore._

 _"Thank you Gavin, I know you'll do the right thing one day," my Mother said with a smile. She seemed to drift off as her eyes closed. A little while later, she was gone._

 _When the Doctor came in and confirmed that she had passed, I didn't say anything, but just started sobbing, feeling like something in me had just died along with her._

 _"Why God? Why didn't you save her? It's all my fault. It's all my fault," I thought, and I kept wishing that there was something I could have done to save her._

* * *

"After my Mother died, my Dad was never the same. He turned to drinking and he completely focused on his work as a prosecuting attorney, never having any time for me. Eventually, we became distant after I left for college," I finished.

Flo didn't say anything and just stared at me with complete sorrow.

"My God, Gavin I didn't know. I'm truly sorry," Flo said softly.

"Save it, I don't need your pity or your Christian bullshit. How can there be absolute good in such a cruel world?" I asked bitterly.

"Gavin, listen. It's complicated, angels can't help everyone," Flo said, making my blood boil.

"Stop lying! They don't care! If they did care, then my Mother would still be alive and my life wouldn't have turned out this way! If they are as all powerful as you said, then where the Hell were they while my Mother was wasting away in a damn hospital bed!" I shouted in rage.

"I'm sorry you feel that way Gavin and I don't have an answer for you, but you can't blame them for that. They weren't responsible for what happened to your Mother," Flo tried to convince me.

"Then why didn't they help her? Why didn't they help me when I needed them the most? If they truly cared, then why did they sit back and watch?" I questioned her, tears running down my face and my voice cracking.

Flo walked over and hugged me, causing me to break out sobbing, letting out years of pain. I realized that what had driven me down my dark path was me. The reason why I made my choice is because I didn't care about anybody and I wanted everyone else to suffer like I had. I was grateful for Flo and I wanted to thank her for showing me the truth. Flo stopped hugging me and I started speaking.

"Flo, I know the answer now," I said.

"Why are you suffering?" Flo asked me.

 ** _"No Gavin! You can't!"_** I heard The Hellhound shouting in my head but I ignored it.

"The reason why I suffer is because of me. I hurt so many people because I wanted to make them feel how I felt when my Mother died. It was my decision and now I'm paying the price for my actions," I explained, feeling absolute guilt.

"Thank you Gavin," Flo said gratefully.

"No Flo, thank you. You always were a good friend," I said.

"You don't owe me any thanks Gavin," Flo said.

I looked up at the window where Anne-Marie's room is at and I considered going up to see her, only I hesitated.

"You should go and see her, considering what she means to you," Flo suggested.

At first, I considered Flo's words but I started thinking about how they didn't seem right and I realized what was bothering me. For the first time in a long time, I realized something I had never realized before. I had never cared about anyone unless it would benefit me in some way. I didn't care that Charlie and I crushed Anne-Marie's hopes and dreams otherwise I would've stopped Charlie from lying to her and I wasn't sure I cared about Anne-Marie now.

"You still see something in me and Charlie that isn't there. Like I said before, I hurt people because I wanted them to feel the same pain I felt and nothing's changed. I hurt Anne-Marie and I didn't even see it," I said.

"But now you do Gavin," Flo told me.

"No, I see now that what I did in the past was wrong and it doesn't mean anything, I'll still make the same mistakes all over again. I never noticed when I've hurt other people because as much as I hate to admit it, I don't give a shit about anyone, I just think I do," I stated, causing Flo to stare at me in shock.

"No Gavin! You can't think like that! How could you after admitting that what you did was wrong?" Flo asked desperately.

"I don't care about Anne-Marie or anyone else. That's what you showed me, and that's all I'll ever be," I said.

"You're just giving up on your own humanity," Flo choked out, tears running down her muzzle.

"Face it Flo, the Gavin McCall you are talking about? That kind and caring person? He died alongside his Mother and a selfish piece of shit took his place. The person you're talking about is dead and never coming back. Thank you for getting me to see the truth and I'll always be grateful for that," I said, giving her an empty look as I stood up and walked away.

I felt so numb that as I walked into the church, the burning feeling didn't really even hurt, which probably meant that I didn't feel all that alive anymore. What Flo told me was something a part of me wished that I never found out, and that was that I was a scumbag that didn't care about anyone unless it benefited me. Everything I thought I believed was a lie and now that I knew the truth, it had broken me in such a way that I could never heal from it. I had wanted to die believing that in spite of everything I had done, I was still a good person but the truth was that I was not a good person and nothing could save me from damnation so there was no point in fighting it anymore.


	20. Chapter 19

New Orleans, Louisiana, June 8, 1939.

Carface was sitting in his chair, feeling frustrated that he couldn't figure out Charlie and Gavin's weaknesses could be.

 _"Damn it! There has to be a weakness, I just know it,"_ Carface thought.

Looking around, he saw his men keeping their weapons close and once in a while, one of them would jump and aim at the slightest noise out of paranoia.

"Boss?" Killer asked tentatively.

"What is it Killer? Can't you see I'm trying to figure out if those bastards have a weakness," Carface said.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. Maybe we should gather information on Charlie and Gavin, see if we could figure something out. Hell, we could go to their casino to send a message," Killer suggested.

Carface pondered over what Killer had said and it was very tempting but it didn't change the fact that he had no idea what could kill Charlie and Gavin.

"It's a good suggestion Killer, but we still have no idea about how to kill them," Carface said bitterly.

"We can help you with that," An unfamiliar voice rang out, prompting everyone in the room to aim their guns at the entrance.

Carface saw two dogs standing in the doorway, the first one was a bulldog that was wearing a brown cap and the second one was a boxer hound that was wearing a bowler hat and one of his ears had a chunk of flesh missing. They were covered in scars and what caught Carface's attention and scared him, is that their eyes were glowing the same ominous red color that Gavin's eyes did.

"Who the Hell are you two?! How did you get in here?!" Carface bellowed, aiming his revolver at the two dogs.

"Easy Mac, we're here because we have the answer to your little problem," The bulldog said with a sinister grin.

"Oh yeah? What kind of answer?" Carface asked, looking at the dogs suspiciously.

"We believe you are familiar with Charlie Barkin and Gavin McCall, correct?" The boxer asked.

"Yeah, what do you two want with them and what are you?" Carface questioned, trying to keep himself from trembling.

"Oh we're nobody special. You could say that we are very familiar with Charlie and Gavin. All we can say is that those bastards left us to die and now we hail from the inferno of torment, the path of everlasting pain, the place which all hope is abandoned," The bulldog stated. Carface and Killer paled at the realization that they were in the presence of demons of Hell.

"You mean...Hell?" Carface choked out in terror.

"Bingo! Give the mortal a bone. Our employer, The Hellhound, has a proposition for you," The boxer said.

"Oh yeah? What kind?" Carface asked, interested to know what The Hellhound had in mind for him.

"It's simple, Charlie and Gavin's souls belong to our employer. When they died, Charlie and Gavin stole the sources of their lives and used them to return to the mortal world. Now they can't die and they will belong to our employer unless they embrace their goodness and pureness. Although they don't see it yet, they are on that path. Which is why Charlie and Gavin must die before they redeem themselves," The bulldog explained.

Carface was confused, The Hellhound wanted Charlie and Gavin to die but his men flat-out said that he couldn't take their souls, so how was Carface supposed to help in any way if it was impossible to kill Charlie and Gavin?

"How can I kill them? You said it yourself that they are immortal, and believe me when I say that I know that it's true," Carface stated.

The two demons smiled and let out dark chuckles that sent chills down Carface's spine and left Killer consumed with terror.

 _"Oh God. Is the Boss seriously considering making a deal with a demon? Christ, how far is he going to go?"_ Killer thought incredulously.

"They have a weakness. Surely you noticed something about them that shows that they stole the sources of their lives, something they have that they didn't have before?" The boxer hinted.

Carface thought about it for a moment, then he recalled the watches that Charlie and Gavin had when he showed up at their place to kill them. Carface was sure that they didn't have those watches before. Was it possible that they were the sources of their lives? Carface decided to get confirmation by asking.

"Well...I noticed that they were wearing these watches that I'm certain that they never had before. Wait, are you two saying..." Carface trailed off and his eyes widened in realization.

"Exactly. Destroy the watches and you kill Charlie and Gavin," The bulldog confirmed, grinning sadistically.

"And if I do this for your employer, then what's in it for me?" Carface asked, feeling confident.

"Boss! Are you insane?! You can't seriously be considering this!" Killer exclaimed in horror.

"Shut the Hell up Killer," Carface told him while he was grinning smugly.

"If you deliver Charlie and Gavin's souls to our employer, he will spare you from the fate of going to Hell and even grant you immortality to live however you wish in eternal luxury here," the boxer offered.

Carface liked what was being offered to him. What was even better, was that he finally had an advantage over Charlie and Gavin. Those bastards thought that they could get Carface Caruthers but now the tide had turned. Now Carface had all the cards and very soon, he would get back his Golden Goose and get rid of the banes of his existence from this world once and for all. Looks like he still had some friends, some very powerful friends indeed.

"Sounds fair to me. Very well, tell your employer that we have a deal," Carface stated and shook the paws of the bulldog, and then the boxer.

Then Carface felt a dark inferno swirl in and around him as his eyes began to glow an eerie red. He closed his eyes as he enjoyed the rush of power, and he wanted more. Carface felt the darkness of the brutality and viciousness of his soul and he welcomed it because he would soon have it all. The two demons smiled darkly at the look of euphoria on Carface's muzzle and then disappeared in a blaze of fire, leaving Carface, Killer, and the other dogs alone.

"Boss, this is insane. Those things were pure evil. How can we actually strike a deal with them?" Killer questioned.

"Business partners. Sometimes you work with unexpected people," Carface stated, puffing on his cigar.

"This isn't business Boss! This is full on selling your soul!" Killer shouted incredulously.

"There are always trade-offs," Carface said with a smirk.

"Boss, come on, you gotta think this through. This is insane-no, dangerous even," Killer tried to reason.

"Shut up. Now I want to send a little message to Charlie and Gavin and I know just how to do that," Carface said, grinning psychotically.

Killer could tell that his Boss had turned completely megalomaniacal now. Carface had crossed a line that nobody should ever cross and it had already tainted his soul. Killer didn't want to leave his Boss because Carface wasn't thinking straight and besides, he owed Carface for saving his life a long time ago. Killer knew that his decision was going to come back and bite him in the ass, but he was loyal and he'd be damned if he would abandoned his Boss now when he needed to be saved from himself.

* * *

Charlie and I continued to listen to Anne-Marie's sobs as they were finally starting to die down, though I doubted that she was feeling better about anything. Charlie and I had no idea what to do or if we should go see her. When I talked to Charlie about what Flo had told me, a sort of realization about what we had done to Anne-Marie hit him and now he was feeling absolute guilt.

We talked to each other about going to see Anne-Marie, but we really didn't see the point in doing that. Anything we told her at this point would be an empty lie, and wouldn't be meaningful to her. Charlie and I went up the stairs, hesitating with each and every step, but we pushed through it until we found ourselves at Anne-Marie's room.

 _"She deserves better then us,"_ I thought as Charlie and I walked in to see Anne-Marie sitting alone, her head hanging low.

"Everything alright Squeaker?" Charlie asked her softly, and I was surprised how genuine it sounded.

"I'm not," Anne-Marie whispered sadly. Charlie and I walked over and sat down next to her.

"We know this was a very hard day for you; to learn the truth, especially after how much you hoped for all this," Charlie told her gently, nuzzling his head against her softly.

"I thought they were the ones who be my family," Anne-Marie said quietly.

It was true that Harold and Kate actually would've been her family but Charlie and I couldn't have any of that. There was no way we were going to let Anne-Marie have the life she always hoped for, that's who Charlie Barkin and Gavin McCall were now. We would only lie to her and exploit her again. This was the life we had to give her. What more could anyone expect from scumbags like us?

"So did the two of us but we were stupid to believe that anyone was as kind as you," I said in disgust, which was partially true, I was an idiot to believe that Charlie and I were anything but the monsters from my dreams.

"I don't think that," Anne-Marie stated.

"What? What do you mean by that?" I asked in confusion.

"Just because they didn't adopt me, doesn't mean that they aren't kind people. They forgave me for having their wallet and they even fed me," Anne-Marie reasoned.

"Anne-Marie, they rejected you and gave you false hope!" Charlie exclaimed in revulsion which was partially true, her family did give her false hope.

"I gave myself false hope expecting that they would take me into their home and become part of their lives. They never promised to adopt me. I just expected that they would. In fact, I think that was why I returned their wallet because I hoped it would convince them to adopt me. I expected it from them, I expected these people to adopt me even though they didn't know me. I was being selfish," Anne-Marie said softly with a hint of understanding in her voice.

Selfish? Was Charlie and I really hearing this? Anne-Marie was anything but selfish. She had wants, hopes, and dreams that she longed for. She didn't force anything or expect anything, So how had returning the wallet been a selfish deed? Revealing she even had it at all could've torpedoed her chances of being adopted. This was nuts, how could Anne-Marie believe anything she just said?

"Selfish? Anne-Marie, revealing you had that wallet at all may as well cost you your chances of having a home. Returning it was selfless and you were hurt because of it," I reassured her.

"It might've been, but after I did it, they fed me, talked to me and showed concern for me. I was trying to make a good first impression. I was rejected because...well...maybe they aren't ready to raise a child or just aren't ready to change their lives that much." Anne-Marie said.

"That's selfish, Anne-Marie," Charlie replied.

"And asking them to give up the life they have now for me isn't?" Anne-Marie retorted.

Charlie and I stared at Anne-Marie at a complete loss for words, realizing how much she had changed. This whole thing had affected her, yet it didn't seem to affect her in any negative fashion. How was this possible? How could this little girl take all this and still feel compassion for the people that had, in her mind, rejected her? How could she have her dreams crushed and still reject cynicism? Charlie and I tried to speak but we couldn't find the words.

"There's no reason to hate them. They didn't do anything wrong. And even if they did, that doesn't mean that the good they have done should be ignored. You two steal, gamble, and even hurt people, but you saved me and you've been there for me. That's the side of you both that someone should support and I do," Anne-Marie told us.

I didn't know what to say, I felt more conflicted then I ever had before. What Anne-Marie said was really painful to hear. Anne-Marie just told me and Charlie that she saw us as good people, yet she doesn't realize that we were the ones responsible for her pain. And if she were to ever find out the truth, she would likely reject the good she believed we had, which truthfully, was never there to begin with. What Anne-Marie was seeing was nothing more than an illusion.

"You would forgive someone even if they hurt you, or betrayed you?" I asked.

"I would. At least believe I would. I know that the couple are good people and I know that you two and Itchy are good people too. Even if that was challenged, I would hope that I would stick with that belief," Anne-Marie replied.

Charlie and I simply stared at Anne-Marie for a few seconds, then we took turns hugging her. As we walked over to the door, I turned back to look Anne-Marie, thinking about what she had just said. I didn't know how to respond to it in any meaningful way. I looked at Charlie, and I could tell by the look on his face that he probably felt the same way.

"Good night Sweetie," I told her.

"Good night Gavin, Charlie," Anne-Marie replied.

Charlie and I left the room and moved slowly down the stairs. I was still thinking about what Anne-Marie had said and wondered if it would all mean nothing the moment she found out that Charlie and I were using her. All the love and care she had would surely fade away. It was the only thing that made sense. I sat down at the entrance and Charlie curled up next to me. I could feel the church burning me but I couldn't forget what Anne-Marie had said about us. I thought back to her tears and the faith she had in us. Very few people had ever shown that kind of faith in me and I had let them all down. Maybe I was wrong and I truly do care about other people. I just really wish my Mother was here so she could give me guidance.

* * *

Itchy was sitting at the mostly empty bar while everyone was enjoying themselves at the slot machines. Itchy wasn't really feeling up to enjoying himself at the moment nor was he feeling anything but an overwhelming sense of dread. When he had overheard Flo telling Charlie and Gavin that they were changing into monsters, he just couldn't ignore anymore the fact that Charlie and Gavin were going to become demons of Hell. Itchy had approached Flo and said that he was leaving and that he didn't want to be a part of Charlie and Gavin's plans anymore. Flo sympathized and wished him well, then Itchy had left the church and headed back to the casino to drink his sorrows away. Itchy still couldn't accept the fate that awaited his closest friends or that it was in a way his fault because he had failed to save them from Carface's assasination attempts. He hadn't been quick enough or brave enough to save them and now Gavin and Charlie were damned because of their choice to violate the laws of nature by bringing themselves back to life, just so they could get their revenge. Itchy slammed another mug down, feeling truly helpless. He couldn't deal with all of it; seeing what Charlie and Gavin were becoming, hearing Flo's prayers of forgiveness; or Anne-Marie's faith and optimism. Itchy didn't believe any of it, not even remotely. And then there was Charlie and Gavin's faith in him-their belief that he was stronger, than he thought he was, that he was anything more than a failure. It was a false faith and Itchy could not accept it. He belonged here, drunk and empty like all the other worthless piles of shit. Itchy was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't hear the other patrons exclaiming in horror, or notice that someone had walked up behind him until he felt a paw on his shoulder.

"Well, well, well, look what we have here, how unexpected. I was hoping to send a little message to Charlie and Gavin, and what do I find here in their casino but their best friend sitting all alone. What are the odds?" a familiar voice spoke menacingly and Itchy's eyes widened in terror.

 _"Oh God no, not him,"_ Itchy thought in horror and when he slowly looked behind him, the blood drained from his face when he saw the one dog he had prayed he would never see again.

Carface was staring at Itchy with a truly insane grin while his men were swarming through the casino, harassing patrons and pushing over slot machines. Killer was trying to escort patrons out of the casino.. One customer tried to protest, but one of the thugs hit him with a pool cue and dragged him out.

"Get the hell out while you still can," Killer warned the other patrons, sounding genuinely worried for their safety.

"Killer it seems is trying to be the nice dog. Fine by me, I have what I want right here," Carface said with a dark smile.

"Carface, I don't know what you want with me or why you're here, but I can assure you that I don't have what you want," Itchy stuttered, his voice shaking from fear.

"But you do Itchy. You have the means to deliver a message for me," Carface said cruelly.

Carface grabbed Itchy, slammed his face into the counter and threw him off the stool, sending him crashing to the ground. Itchy tried to crawl away, but he got kicked in the ribs so hard, that he slid across the floor. When Itchy struggled to move again, Carface picked him up, grabbed a mug, and smashed it over Itchy's head. With blurred vision through blood streaming down his face, Itchy could see Carface reaching down for him but he could barely move to try to get away. Carface lifted Itchy up and threw him onto a table that shattered from the force. Laying face down in the ruins of the table, Itchy coughed painfully, choking on blood as he tried to keep breathing. Carface calmly walked over with a pool cue that he then broke across Itchy's back. Once more, Carface hauled Itchy up and threw him against the wall hard enough to send Itchy into shock as he slid down the wall and landed in a crumpled pile on the floor. Struggling to breathe, Itchy laid helpless, coughing up blood and unable to move, barely conscious. Carface walked over with a look of glee on his face and he cruelly kicked Itchy in the ribs a few times as Itchy tried weakly to protest.

Killer walked over, looking at the scene in horror as his Boss brutalized Itchy for no damn reason. Why was Carface doing this? What purpose did any of this serve?

"Boss, that's enough! We got what we need and they'll get the message!" Killer tried to reason.

"Yeah well, I suppose you're right," Carface relented, then he grabbed Itchy by the ears and dragged him to the exit, slamming him into the doorway on the way out. Leaving the casino, Carface threw Itchy at a nearby car, his body smashing hard into the windshield, causing a spider-web crack to appear on the glass.

Killer watched as Itchy twitched on the hood of the car, his body bloody, broken, and battered. This was disgusting. They were here to send a message to force Charlie and Gavin to come to them so that they could finish them off and get the girl back, but this wasn't sending a message. This was nothing more than brutal sadism, not unlike what Gavin had done to those dogs in that junkyard. Killer couldn't help but wonder if that's what Hell did to people. Did it just make them cruel and savage? Was his Boss tainted with the same darkness that Charlie and Gavin had? Killer wanted to help Itchy but he knew that would be unwise as his Boss would likely kill him if he did. Killer was only staying with Carface because Carface was not in his right mind and someone needed to save him from himself before it was too late.

Carface approached Itchy's twitching form, casually took a cigar out of his vest pocket, lit it, puffed on it a bit, then held the glowing end to one of Itchy's shoulders. Itchy cried out weakly in agony, but couldn't move enough to get away.

"Ooh, that looked like it really hurt Mac and this isn't gonna look good either," Carface said mockingly, puffing on the cigar again to heat up the end, then pressing it into Itchy's other shoulder with a nasty grin.

Carface backed up, calmly puffing on his cigar again, looking at Itchy dispassionately. He was done brutalizing Itchy, so now it was time to cut even deeper.

"Those loving customers of yours, Killer got most of them out but he wasn't able to get all of them. So, I'm going to offer you a choice. I'm sending a message to Charlie and Gavin in one of two ways. Right now, we're going to burn this whole place to the ground and whoever is still in there well...wrong place wrong time. However, if you go back in, I'll leave this place standing and instead, I'll beat you to death and leave your corpse at the entrance. Ether way, Charlie and Gavin will get the message. Well, that's it, you have five minutes to make your choice. I have business to take care of," Carface told Itchy and went back in the casino.

Itchy was in excruciating pain, probably in shock, and could barely move, but he knew what the right choice was. Hell, it was painfully obvious that he needed to enter the casino and accept his fate. It only made sense and it was what he deserved, so he should just go in the casino and die.

Itchy weakly rolled off the hood of the car and started dragging himself toward the casino. He stood near the entrance, his paws shaking, still inwardly fighting with himself to sacrifice his own life so that others would live. It didn't matter to him anyway, his life was worthless so getting killed to save lives would be the last good thing he could do in this screwed up world. Itchy tried to force himself to go inside, but he could only feel ashamed when he turned in the opposite direction and started moving as fast as he could manage toward the church, tears rolling down his muzzle.

 _"God forgive me for this,"_ Itchy thought guiltily as he approached the church.

Carface watched Itchy leave and signaled his men to burn the whole casino down. He wasn't sure if anyone was still in there, or if Killer got all of them out and to be frank, he didn't really care. This is just step one and the next step would lure Charlie, Gavin, and the girl out.

"Killer, get the boys ready. We're taking our next step," Carface said.

"What? Where?" Killer asked, already dreading the answer.

"The abandoned church. Charlie's old girlfriend lives there. Hell, he almost mated with the bitch. She'll bring him, Gavin, and the girl out of hiding," Carface stated.

"We haven't done enough?!" Killer exclaimed in disgust.

"Not even close," Carface answered with a sadistic smile as he was looking toward the direction of the church.

* * *

 _I was sitting outside of the church, though my thoughts weren't on it at the moment. Instead, I was focusing inward on a vision in my mind. I was standing between two choices. One was Heaven, and the other was Hell. There was also a pool of water that was in front of me, though it seem to be a mixture of water and from the looks of it, blood. I stared down at it and could hear the voice of Annabelle speaking to me once more._

 _"Gavin, you can't give up on yourself now, you still have so much you need to learn," Annabelle told me._

 _"It's already over. It was over the moment I was born, I'm not a pure soul," I replied to her blankly._

 _"You can't give in, she sees the good in you and Charles, so do others. You must believe in it as well," Annabelle stated._

 _I ignored her and kept staring at the pool, seeing a face looking back at me._

 _"Or is this what you will decide to be?" Annabelle said forebodingly._

 _Suddenly, a monstrous clawed hand shot out of the water and grabbed me by the neck. The monster from my dreams rose up out of the pool and pulled me in close before roaring in my face, the horrible sound echoing across my mind and soul._

* * *

My eyes shot open and I slowly sat up, I was sitting on the front steps of the church as I had been in my vision. The visions and nightmares didn't bother me as much anymore, which meant that ether I was getting used to them, or my humanity was slipping away. I looked up and saw Anne-Marie in her room, wondering what she was feeling, but I dismissed my curiosity, as it didn't really matter anymore. I looked over at Charlie and he stared back at me with an empty expression on his muzzle. He looked like he had just woken from a vision just as bad as mine had been. In front of us at the bottom of the stairs was a puddle of water, like in my vision. We glanced at each other, then both leaned over, peered in, and saw our demon halves staring back at us. I heard a faint noise behind me and looked to see Flo staring at us, looking like she was truly worried about something.

"What?" I asked lifelessly.

"It's Itchy, he's coming back and he looks really injured," Flo said worryingly.

As Charlie and I got up and entered the church's back door, I saw Charlie's body begin to burn and blister and I looked at my hands to see the same thing happening to me as well, only I didn't feel any pain and Charlie didn't react to it. It was at that point that I knew that our transformations were almost complete and truthfully, I really didn't give a shit anymore. Charlie and I exited the front door and saw Itchy covered in nasty cuts and bruises, painfully making his way toward us. I felt a pang of concern grip me but something was telling me to forget it and it was coming very close to winning. Charlie and I approached Itchy who stopped and leaned against a wall support himself.

"Itchy, what happened?" Charlie asked, barely sounding concerned.

"Carface happened, and this isn't all he did. Look," Itchy said, raising his paw weakly and pointing toward the junkyard.

We looked off in the distance and could see a massive smoke cloud developing over the junkyard. As we looked on, and explosion blew more smoke and debris into the air.

"That's our place. Carface burned the whole thing down and I'm not sure all our customers got out in time," Itchy grunted out in pain.

"It's all gone," I said quietly, almost sounding emotionless.

"I knew that all this would eventually come back and bite us in the ass and now it has. He wants that girl, and the truth is that I don't know what to do," Itchy stated.

"We weren't expecting this," Charlie said rather uncaring.

"You two weren't expecting it?! Come on Charlie, you and Gavin are not stupid! Both of you knew that he would come! Hell Gavin, he attacked you at Charlie's home and you fellas are just dismissing it!" Itchy shouted at us.

I was surprised of Carface's bold actions. In fact, I was surprised that Carface wasn't dead yet. You would think that his men would've killed him out of sheer paranoia by now, but it hadn't happened and now he was attacking our home again. Charlie and I should've just killed him and everyone else in his shithole of a casino.

"I thought that he would get the message when I butchered a few of his men in the junkyard, but I see now that I should've just gutted him along with rest of his gang, maybe you would like to get into the action Charlie," I spoke softly in anger.

"Gutted?! Gavin, you're suggesting that you and Charlie should go and murder countless people, that's not you or Charlie!" Itchy exclaimed in disgust.

"Slow on the uptake, creatures of Hell. I would say he is acting perfectly in character, and I wouldn't mind if we slowly ripped apart Carface and all his men," Charlie said coldly.

"Neither of you care...neither of you care what Carface did to me or what they did to our customers who probably died!" Itchy exclaimed in horror.

"We don't care about anything or anyone Itchy, we never did!" I said harshly.

"You're so full of shit Gavin, you loved your Mother! Just because she died, doesn't mean your feelings mean nothing!" Itchy spat at me and it took all I had not to dismember him for having the gall to bring my Mother into this.

"Are you trying to make a statement or something? Stay here, we're going to go rip out Carface's heart and maybe dismember a few of his men in the process," I said sadistically.

"No Gavin! You and Charlie have to fight this! You fellas have to at least try and besides, I need you both and Anne-Marie needs you both!" Itchy pleaded to us but it fell on deaf ears.

"Your point," Charlie said coldly and Itchy stared at us, looking truly heartbroken.

"Guys, how could you reach this point? How could I let either of you? Neither of you care? Then fine, I'm done with you both," Itchy stated sorrowfully.

When Itchy said that, it actually reached me and I felt something I hadn't felt since I discovered what I am. Pain. What Itchy said had caused me emotional pain. I looked at Charlie and saw that he looked hurt as well.

"What?" Charlie and I asked in confusion.

"I have stayed beside you two all these months because I'm your friend. I have risked my life more times then I can count for whatever it is you need. I told you guys that we should forget about this whole revenge thing and get out of town. Neither of you could let it go, so I stayed beside you because I'm your friend. When you guys took that girl, I thought it was crazy. I thought you were gonna get us killed but I still stuck with you fellas because I'm your friend," Itchy said tearfully.

I saw the tears falling from Itchy's eyes and reached out to wipe them away, but something was trying to stop me from doing it. I realized that I was fighting against it. By God, I was fighting it with everything I had. I couldn't ignore this. I just couldn't ignore seeing Itchy cry like this.

"But this time...damn it fellas, he tried to kill me! He killed others and neither of you care. You two are allowing yourselves to rot away and I can't stick with you and help you destroy everything you were anymore. I'm turning my back on you guys...I'm leaving the people I love the most because I'm your friend. I can't let either of you do this to yourselves and I can't stop you, so this is the only way the two of you will realize that you actually do care about something..." Itchy gasped out with tears streaming down his muzzle.

"Itch, we can't fight it. This is what we are and it's what we will always be. You should leave and take everyone with you," Charlie replied, looking like he wanted to cry but couldn't.

"You guys do care. The two of you care about us and that's why you want us gone. You fellas care about that little girl, she means something to you guys," Itchy pleaded to us.

It was at that point some kind of revelation hit me and I finally realized the actual truth. I had completely lost hope for any kind of redemption when believed that I had lost my humanity. The truth was, I still had some left and I was completely wrong and I truly did care about other people. It also hit me that what I said to Itchy about what Charlie and I were going to do to Carface and his men was truly brutal. I looked at my hands and could feel the humanity in me winning against my demon half and I started feeling truly disturbed by what I had been about to do to Carface and his men.

 _"What have Charlie and I become? Who am I? Who are we?"_ I questioned to myself and I looked up when I heard Charlie growling in frustration.

"You think we care about the girl or any of this shit?! You're limping and on the verge of collapsing and we can't even bring ourselves to care dammit! Itchy, if we cared we might be able to beat this but we don't so we can't! So whatever we may think we are feeling is probably not real!" Charlie roared out in rage.

"Charlie, you or Gavin can't believe that. You two and Anne-Marie-" Itchy tried to say and got cut off.

"You want to know how much Gavin and I care about her?! Alright, how about this! We willingly and happily crushed her dreams into dust! We took away the only chance she had of having a family! We broke her into damn pieces! Still think we care?! We don't and she means nothing to us! And when she is no longer relevant, we'll dump her in an orphanage if we're feeling generous! If not, we'll throw her out into the streets!" Charlie screamed out in fury, his voice echoing throughout the church.

It was all falling apart and our friendship was breaking. I knew that Charlie didn't mean what he said, he was just desperate to let go of everything so that his damnation would be easier but he couldn't. Charlie just didn't want to believe in the better part of himself anymore and I could tell that he wasn't going to. It was then that I heard sobbing behind me. When we turned around, my blood froze when we saw who it was.

 _"Oh God...no,"_ I thought in horror.

The person that was crying was Anne-Marie. She was on the stairs, looking at us with pain and betrayal on her face. Which is not surprising since what Charlie shouted would be heartbreaking for anyone.

"Anne-Marie..." Charlie said, a tiny flicker of humanity appearing in his eyes.

"You're not my friends?" Anne-Marie said tearfully.

"Anne-Marie, listen we...we," I tried to say something.

"You're both bad," Anne-Marie sobbed.

"Wait Sweetie, he didn't mean it," I tried to explain.

"Get away from me!" Anne-Marie shouted at us, then she ripped off her necklace and threw it on the floor as she shoved past us and ran out of the church.

It was at that point that I knew that we seriously screwed up. I could feel something changing in me and I knew what we needed to do. We needed to go after Anne-Marie and give her the absolute truth and then we were going to take her to Harold and Kate and let her go for good. I looked at Charlie and he nodded. We left the church, got into my car, and drove into the city to find Anne-Marie, determined to fix this.

As we were driving through the night, it started raining and soon turned into a heavy downpour, forcing me to turn the windshield wipers on high. Charlie poked his head out the window, sniffing for any scent that Anne-Marie might have left behind.

"Anything?" I said as I slowed to a crawl, trying to see through the heavy rain.

"Nothing! Son of a bitch!" Charlie yelled in frustration. As he pulled his head back into the car, his watch slipped off his neck and hit the floor.

Charlie leaned down to pick it up but when he hesitated, I knew that he was contemplating throwing it out the window, letting it stop, and ending his life so that he wouldn't become even worse and hurt even more people he cared about. I took off my wristwatch and stared at it, thinking about doing the same thing so that I wouldn't hurt anyone else. But I put the watch back on my wrist and saw Charlie putting his back around his neck. I thought about where Anne-Marie would go and my eyes widened in realization.

"Charlie!" I announced and the German Shepherd turned to look at me.

"What is it Gavin? Do you have any ideas?" Charlie asked me, his tail wagging in anticipation.

"Think about it, in her eyes, she just lost her family. So where would she go?" I hinted.

"She would go to what she considers to be her real family! Come on, let's head to 402 Maple Street!" Charlie exclaimed in excitement.

I drove us through the increasing storm, over the streets of New Orleans until we arrived at our destination. I saw Anne-Marie sitting under a tree across from Harold and Kate's house.

"There! I see her," I announced and pulled the car over. We got out and hurried over to her.

"Anne-Marie, thank God you're okay. C'mon, let's go take shelter in the car, you shouldn't be out in the rain like this," I said softly.

"Don't pretend that you or Charlie care, Gavin!" Anne-Marie said harshly.

 _"Okay, definitely deserve that one,"_ I thought, wincing at the barb that was thrown at me.

"That's a smart choice on your part, we could be lying to you right now," Charlie replied.

"Why are you even here?" Anne-Marie asked us.

"I don't think that requires an answer, you know why," Charlie answered bitterly.

"To take me back, I guess, but why do you want to do that?" Anne-Marie asked us, her little voice harsh and still filled with pain.

I had no idea why Charlie and I wanted her back when I simply wanted to let her go. It wasn't for our vendetta, I know that much. And it certainly wasn't for money since we weren't mortal and money didn't mean shit to us anymore. So why did we want her back? It was a question that I had no idea how to answer.

"We don't know, we have no idea what brought us here or why, but we know that the only sensible and decent thing to do right now is to walk up to that house and ring the doorbell. It's what a good person would do and we haven't been that kind of people," I said quietly, sitting down next to her and resting my arms on my knees.

"Do neither of you really care about Itchy or Flo?" Anne-Marie asked us.

"We don't care about anyone but ourselves. Any connection we feel, their needs don't matter to us and we'll ignore them. You were told about the worst of the world but what you didn't know, is that we were a part of it. The truth is that we are no better then Carface, it just took us a while to realize that," Charlie confessed, looking ashamed.

I didn't know who I was anymore, was I the good and decent man that everyone says I am? Or was I the uncaring and selfish conman that took advantage of everyone I met and used them to further any agenda I had planned? This was truly the first time in my life that I felt so lost like this. But, I now knew that Anne-Marie couldn't stay with us anymore. This little girl needed a family who would actually love her, she needed someone better than us. I stood up and Charlie and I started to leave, but Anne-Marie grabbed my hand, forcing us to stop.

"Do either of you really think that when everything you do says otherwise? Don't either of you have any faith in yourselves?" Anne-Marie asked us.

"I've lied to myself for the better part of a year, thinking that Charlie and I were anything but the monsters we are," I answered bitterly.

"No, you're lying to yourself now more then ever, just like Charlie is lying to himself. You two really think that you don't care about anything, that you're devoid of love but if that was true, then why are you here?" Anne-Marie asked us.

"You know why. So that we can continue using you," Charlie stated in disgust.

"Yet you and Gavin were about to leave, so why would you tell me that? No, you and Gavin are just trying to push me away, just like you are trying to push away Itchy and Flo. Why would either of you try to do that? Because you care about all of us. You betrayed me because neither of you wanted to lose me to someone else, that's why," Anne-Marie stated.

Was she right? Was the reason why I didn't stop Charlie from lying to Anne-Marie earlier is because I didn't want to lose her and never see her again? Maybe I am a good person after all and I've just been lying to myself. I just didn't know anything, anymore.

"I could've lived with you, and Gavin could've come over to visit. But then we wouldn't be able to use your gift anymore," Charlie responded.

"Why do you say that? You and Gavin don't want me to go back with you, you want me to stay here with them. Because despite what you two may think you are, you're good people that have just made mistakes," Anne-Marie reasoned.

"Just answer us this Kid. What the heck do you see in us? Because I can assure you that it isn't there," I retorted.

"I don't believe it and I can't believe it. I have spent months with with you two shopping and playing. So many moments where it was just us. You are the only family I have ever had and you gave me so much when neither of you had to. Maybe it's a lie, but I can't believe it and I won't," Anne-Marie said tearfully.

I was touched by her optimism, but this poor little girl had no idea how cruel this world can be. How it can break you and take away any kind of hope of giving you a second chance in life if you're not strong enough. This world can turn you into something ugly and make you do things you didn't even know you were capable of and then, once you realized what you've done in the end, you lose hope of finding any chance of forgiveness or redemption. I prayed that Anne-Marie never became someone like that, because if she could there would truly be no hope for humanity.

"Your hope is empty just like Flo's. We're not the good people you think we are. There is no good in us anymore, we're demons and it's all we'll ever be," Charlie stated sorrowfully.

"No, if you or Gavin won't have faith in yourselves, if neither of you will believe in the angels I know you are, then I'll believe in you," Anne-Marie said, tears falling from her eyes.

"No Anne-Marie, please don't do that. It's just false hope and it will fail you in the end. We have already failed everyone else, don't make us fail you too!" I pleaded to her, not wanting to crush whatever goodness she had left.

"You won't, I see the good you and Charlie can't, and I know it's who you both really are. I don't know what's going on or what it means, but I do know one thing. The dog and the man I played with everyday, the ones who fed me, took care of me, and tucked me in at night, that's who you are and not whatever you see yourselves as right now," Anne-Marie responded as she hugged me and petted Charlie, making us tense up.

"I believe in you two and I always will. No matter what, I know this in my heart that you both are angels," Anne-Marie told us softly.

Seeing as how there was no changing her mind, Charlie lowered his head and said solemnly, "Alright, if that's your choice, then who are we to stop you. But you are gonna regret ever believing us in the end."

"You and Gavin won't let me down, I know it," Anne-Marie told him and the three of us went to the car, got in, and I drove us back to the church.

I truly didn't know what to say, I was at a complete loss for words. Anne-Marie still believed in us even though we betrayed her in the worst way possible. She saw something in us not a lot of people did and still saw it even after finding out the truth of who and what we really are. It was at this point that I felt something, and I smiled genuinely when I realized that it was hope. After everything we did to Anne-Marie, the lies and the manipulation, she still cared for us and forgave us and even believed in the good of our souls. Maybe this world wasn't as much of a lost cause than I thought, and I felt a desire and drive, I didn't want Charlie and me to fail her, I wanted her faith to be rewarded. I wanted to believe that she was right. I realize that I felt the need to truly reject my demonic fate and for the first time in a long time, I actually wanted to be someone good, I truly wanted to be an angel.

When we arrived at the church, I saw that the front doors had been kicked in. I pulled over and all three of us got out and quickly went in. I was horrified when I saw that the building was partially destroyed, windows were shattered, doors were kicked in, the stairway was fully collapsed, the floor was blown apart and there were bodies of dead dogs everywhere. What really terrified me is that those dogs were a few of Carface's men and I prayed that Flo, Itchy, and the pups were okay.

"Flo! Itchy! Kids! It's Gavin! If you can hear me, give me a sign!" I shouted as I immediately went over to the back room and started looking for the secret room.

"Flo! Itchy! Kids! Say something! Anything!" Charlie yelled desperately. The hatch that led to the secret room opened and Itchy, came out along with the pups, who perked up when they saw us.

"Charlie, Gavin, you made it!" Itchy exclaimed in relief as he and the pups hurried over to us and he asked, "Where's the kid?"

"She's here with us. Itch, what the hell happened here? The place looks like a complete war zone. And where's Flo?" I questioned, feeling afraid for Flo when I didn't see her with Itchy and the pups.

"It was Carface and his gang of thugs, they invaded the church not long after you two ran after Anne-Marie. I fought off most of them but they-" Itchy tried to explain, only to double over in agony from his tender wounds.

"Itchy...where's Flo?" Charlie asked tentatively.

"I don't know, I was fighting them off when I was hit hard on the head and the next thing I knew, I woke up to discover that Carface and what's left of his men were gone and so was Flo," Itchy resumed explaining.

It was then that Anne-Marie walked up to us, holding a piece of paper.

"Charlie, Gavin, I don't know what's going on, but I think Mr. Carface left this for us," Anne-Marie said and I took the paper and saw that it was a note.

As I was reading through it, fury and rage built up in me until my body started smoking and I snarled lividly.

"Carface...that no good rat!" I yelled, crumpling the note and throwing it to the ground. Charlie picked up the note, uncrumpled it and read through it until he growled and shredded the note.

"What happened? What did it say?" Itchy inquired.

"Carface took Flo and if we want to get her back, we have to give up Anne-Marie and our watches," I growled, feeling like I wanted to destroy something.

"He's going to hurt Flo unless you two hand me over to him," Anne-Marie said, clearly looking conflicted on what this would mean for all of us.

"You still want to put your faith in us? We will just toss you aside for Flo. I knew you were wrong to believe in us," Charlie said sorrowfully.

"Don't give up on yourself so soon, I want to save Flo to and I'll give myself up to do it," Anne-Marie reassured.

Charlie and I didn't say anything and let out a snarl, walking to the back of the church and I thought about what the note said. We've been played and now we were in a no-win situation.

"It's not that. What's got our dander up is that the monster from our dreams knew that we would be torn, and now it's forcing us to destroy our own humanity," I said in a pissed off tone.

"Monster? What monster, Gavin?" Itchy asked me.

"A monstrous dragon-like dog with molten like eyes and horns coming out of it's head. It's called the Hellhound," I explained.

"So this Hellhound, what did it do?" Itchy asked.

"Carface knows information he shouldn't. He doesn't just want Anne-Marie, he wants our watches. Now why would he want them unless the Hellhound told Carface about them," Charlie said fearfully.

"Oh God," Itchy said softly in horror and realization.

"Exactly Itch. Carface is just a part of its evil designs. This whole thing is a set up. With its plan, there's no way we leave this with our souls intact. Either we hand over Anne-Marie to save Flo or we abandon Flo to save Anne-Marie. Either way, we betray someone we love, damning ourselves in the process. Or, we kill Carface and complete the corruption of our souls, and the final choice is that Carface destroys our watches. No matter what we do, the Hellhound gets us in the end," I said in frustration.

"You guys can't just give up, there has to be a way to beat this," Itchy pleaded.

"How Itch? What way could there be to beat this? If you have some magical way or a holy miracle to beat this, then tell us," I snapped in despair.

"He's right Itchy. Unless there is a way to stop the Hellhound, there's nothing we can do," Charlie agreed.

"Look fellas, even though I'm still struggling to process that Heaven, Hell, angels, and demons exist, I won't give up on the two people that saved me from my old owner, just like Anne-Marie won't give up on you. Though the question is, will either of you give up on yourselves?" Itchy asked us.

As I listened, I thought about all the things I had done since I wound up in New Orleans and I realized that he was right. Even though Charlie and I were trapped, we still couldn't give up on who we really are. All the times we looked after Anne-Marie with kindness, that's who we really were and not the selfish assholes we think we are. Although what Charlie and I were going to do next would be agonizing, I still wouldn't give the Hellhound the satisfaction of giving up on myself. I turned to look at Anne-Marie who still looked at me and Charlie in uncertainty and I kneeled down in front of her.

"C'mon Sweetie, we need to do this," I told her regretfully.

"I understand Gavin," Anne-Marie said.

"You were wrong to believe in us and now you truly see it," Charlie said, looking completely defeated.

"No I don't, I still believe in you both, no matter what," Anne-Marie said kindly.

I stared at her and without thinking, I hugged her and Charlie nuzzled Anne-Marie gently. I held her in my arms while she was hugging back, neither of us wanting to let go of each other, but we eventually did.

"I love you two," Anne-Marie told us.

I stood up, Charlie and I looked at Itchy and he nodded, showing us that he knew that this was quite possibly the last time we would see each other again. I put my hand on Anne-Marie's shoulder and Charlie and I led her to the car, got in, and I started driving us to Carface's casino, preparing for the final confrontation and knowing that Charlie and I were heading to our deaths and damnations.

* * *

Itchy watched as the tail lights of Gavin's car disappeared into the pouring rain and Itchy looked at Anne-Marie's cross necklace, knowing what he needed to do now.

"We're leaving, stay behind me kids," Itchy told the pups as they all left the church and headed into the city.

What Itchy needed to do was find 402 Maple Street and lead the two humans to the casino. He needed to get the pups to safety and spread the word about what was happening. He could only pray that it wouldn't be too late.


	21. Chapter 20

New Orleans, Louisiana, June 8, 1939.

Itchy and the pups moved as fast as they could through the streets in the downpour, heading to one dog that would be able to spread the word and give them directions to 402 Maple Street.

When Itchy and the pups arrived at the right neighborhood and found the right house, Itchy called up to a second floor window. After a minute, a small dog leaned over the balcony and looked down in confusion.

"Itchy? Why are you bothering me at this time of night? And in this weather no less? And with pups?" the dog questioned in concern.

"Please, the kids and I need to know how to find 402 Maple Street," Itchy said urgently.

"What's at 402 Maple Street? And where are Charlie and Gavin?" the dog asked.

"Please...just tell us where it is, Charlie and Gavin are in serious trouble and something terrible might happen to a little girl and Flo," Itchy explained frantically, catching the attention of the other dogs that were in the houses next to them.

"402 Maple Street is over by the firehouse," a dachshund said in a southern accent.

"Thank you. Make sure to spread the word and also alert the humans in this city, Charlie and Gavin need all the help they can get," Itchy said gratefully and he and the pups quickly left.

"What the hell was that all about?" a dog that was on the balcony above the dachshund asked in confusion.

"Charlie and Gavin are in trouble, and a little girl along with Flo might die," the small dog explained, causing the other dogs to widen their eyes in shock.

"Well tarnation!" the dachshund exclaimed. All the dogs started barking at the other dogs that were nearby until nearly all the dogs in the city were barking and howling within a few minutes, waking up the city's inhabitants. As the humans woke up, the dogs started leading people, police officers, and doctors to Carface's casino.

* * *

I pulled up to the casino and the three of us got out, staring at the place where it all began. I didn't know if it was my demon self that was responsible, but I could literally feel the cruelty, the filth, the greed, and the corruption coming off the place like a tidal wave. It reflected the perfect image of Carface's decaying soul. The casino had become nothing more then a place befitting a devil. Charlie, Anne-Marie, and I walked around to the back door of the casino and paused, looking at each other in uncertainty. With reluctant nods, we entered the casino and headed to the basement until we found ourselves in a large area that used to be the ship's engine room. The large space was almost dwarfed by a huge hole in the wall that had been there as long as anyone could remember. Scanning around the room, I saw Carface holding a gun to Flo's head and grinning at us. I gritted my teeth and didn't react because I knew that charging at him would only get Flo killed.

"Charlie, Gavin, I'm so pleased that you were able to join us tonight," Carface said smugly.

"Enough with the pleasantries Carface, we're here now. Let's just handle this like proper businessmen," I spat out.

"Suit yourself," Carface said and he cocked the hammer on the revolver, making me pull out my M-1911 and aim it at him.

"Are you sure you want to do that Gavin? If you whack me, Charlie's dame will get killed in the process and you'll become a monster," Carface pointed out.

"I don't care if I become a demon of hell. As long as you're around, no one is safe. So let her go," I demanded, aiming at the paw that was holding the gun.

"Sure, with a few stipulations of course," Carface said.

"Just name your terms already," Charlie growled irritably.

"Very well...first, Gavin is to drop the gat and kick it over to Killer. Then, you are to hand over the girl or Flo's pretty face will be splattered all over this room," Carface threatened.

Charlie hesitated and looked at Anne-Marie, who was looking at Carface with fear. But then, she closed her eyes and nodded at us in agreement and Charlie looked at me resigned.

"Gavin...do what Carface says, put the gun down and kick it to Killer..." Charlie said.

I tensed up in uncertainty, but I sighed and slowly put the gun on the floor and kicked it over to Killer, who picked it up and tossed it out the huge hole in the wall. We could hear it fall into the water below.

"See Gavin, I knew you would listen to me. Now, the girl," Carface demanded.

Charlie and I looked at Anne-Marie sorrowfully and nodded. Anne-Marie slowly walked over until she was standing beside Carface.

"Okay, you have Anne-Marie. Now what?" I asked bitterly.

"One more thing fellas. Give me your watches," Carface commanded.

"Swear to us. If we do this, swear to us that Flo will be released safely without any harm at all and she will remain completely unharmed. No games, no tricks. Swear to us right now," Charlie demanded.

"I swear that Flo will remain completely unharmed and will be released safely without any damage at all," Carface repeated with a roll of his eyes.

Charlie and I took off our watches and walked over slowly to Carface. While we were approaching Carface, I could hear my watch ticking along with my footsteps like it was counting down our lives, which was probably what was happening. We stopped in front of Carface and handed him the watches, which he gladly took.

"Killer! Take Flo and keep her secure until our business is finished then honor our agreement," Carface said.

Killer nodded reluctantly and started to drag Flo away who struggled and screamed frantically.

"Nooo! Charlie! Gavin! Let me go! Can't you see that this is wrong?! Why are you listening to that monster?!" Flo yelled desperately to Killer.

Charlie and I stared at Carface who was looking at our watches and smirking in satisfaction. Charlie and I could take Carface down right now, but we didn't because we wanted to go to hell for what we had done in our recent lives and be punished for our sins.

"Such intriguing little things. These watches represent your whole lives. If that's true, would you both be able to feel this?" Carface said before putting the watches down on the metal floor and shooting them.

I felt something tear into me and I collapsed onto my hands and knees in agony, my vision spinning. I forced myself to focus and looked at Charlie to see him on his side with an expression of pain on his muzzle. I tried to stand up, but I was just too weak to move.

"Charlie! Gavin!" Anne-Marie cried out in horror at seeing us drop to the ground.

"Huh, resilient little things. I wonder, how resilient are they really?" Carface said menacingly and shot the watches again.

Then I felt something tear apart my spine and I fell onto my side, tasting blood in my mouth even though Charlie and I didn't bleed anymore. I weakly raised my hand and tried to reach out to Anne-Marie or my watch as my body started twitching from the shock.

"Stop it! Please, stop it!" Anne-Marie begged.

"Charlie, Gavin, no!" Flo screamed in distress.

"Still trying to get up? Look at this Killer, taking it like real men," Carface mocked as Charlie and I twitched.

"Boss, that is enough. We have what we need, so just end it already, torture is pointless," Killer tried to reason but Carface aimed his gun at him.

"Shut the hell up or I'll ice you," Carface threatened.

Charlie and I forced ourselves to stand up and we glared venomously at Carface.

"You're a true monster Carface and there is a special place in hell for you, believe me..." Charlie groaned out in pain.

"Not for me Charlie. You see, once I kill you and Gavin, I'm free of hell and death itself," Carface replied in satisfaction.

My eyes widened in realization and I weakly chuckled and said bitterly, "You sold your soul for immortality? If you think hell won't come to collect one day, you're an idiot. You can't escape justice forever."

"Gavin, why the hostility? This story has a happy ending. I get to keep the girl and make a fortune while you and Charlie get to go to Heaven. Do neither of you want to go to Heaven? Oh, how stupid of me, you blew that chance. Well, I'm sure they'll take good care of you both down below," Carface mocked as he opened the lid of Charlie's watch and he shot our watches again.

Our bodies jerked from the impact and we dropped to the ground like sacks of bricks, making horrible choking and gagging noises.

Carface walked over to Charlie, put his barely functioning watch around his neck and dragged him in front of Anne-Marie. Then he walked over to where I was currently lying on the ground and did the same thing. Carface opened the cylinder, unloaded the shell casings, loaded the gun and closed the cylinder, aiming at our watches. At that point I knew that if he fired again, Charlie and I would die.

"No, stop! Please stop! Stop hurting them!" Anne-Marie yelled in horror at the brutality being displayed in front of her.

"Now you little shit, let this be a lesson on what happens if you run off again," Carface told her as he cocked the hammer of his revolver.

"Carface! You disgusting bastard!" Flo shouted in rage.

"No! Please Mr. Carface, I'll stay with you and do whatever you want, just please let them go!" Anne-Marie pleaded.

"Oh I will alright. Goodbye old friends," Carface said and he pulled the trigger.

"Nooo!" Anne-Marie screamed out of desperation and lunged for the revolver. As the gunshot rang out, everyone stared in horror at the aftermath.

Despair and grief ran through me as I saw Anne-Marie stumbling back, clutching the bullet wound on her abdomen. Blood dripped from her mouth as she slumped against a wall and slid to the floor with her eyes closed. I felt something in me snap and my grief and despair turned into pure and savage fury as I just completely lost it. Charlie and I snarled as we managed to stand up out of sheer will. The metal catwalk above our heads slowly started melting from the heat and smoke that was coming off our bodies. I felt my teeth and my nails grow razor sharp but I didn't give a shit. Carface shooting Anne-Marie was the very thing to make Charlie and I lose it and now, we were going to do what we should've done months ago. Not killing Carface earlier this year was our mistake and now we were going to make up for it by slowly tearing the flesh from his bones and burning him while he screamed for mercy.

Carface ran over to Anne-Marie and started shaking her shoulders while Killer stared in shock.

"Wake up you little shit! Don't you dare die after all the shit I went through to get you back!" Carface shouted frantically.

"Boss, what the hell have you done?!" Killer exclaimed in horror.

Charlie and I let out inhuman roars as a massive fire literally erupted from our bodies and started burning everything in its path. We then turned our glowing eyes at Carface and we started letting out growls of rage and hatred, Charlie's paws and my hands were covered in dark flames. We started chucking fireballs at Carface while he dove out of the way. Charlie and I screamed and unleashed an inferno that started to consume the ship. Carface grabbed Anne-Marie and started dragging her to the escape boat.

Charlie and I saw Carface trying to escape and we started charging at him, our steps immolating everything in our path and turning it to ash. We kept throwing fireballs at Carface, who was getting cornered by them. An explosion sent him crashing into a wall. Carface forced himself up and started dragging Anne-Marie to a ladder.

"Boss! Forget about the girl dammit! This is nuts, you're gonna get us killed!" Killer pleaded.

"Shut the hell up!" Carface roared out, bashing Killer across the face with his revolver and forcing Anne-Marie to the ladder.

"Get your paws off her you monster!" Flo roared out in fury.

The rough collie lunged at Carface and bit down on his shoulder, tearing and thrashing at it. Carface let out a cry of pain as he smashed Flo into a wall and pinned her there. Then, Carface threw Flo to the ground and aimed at her head.

"God dammit, I said enough!" Killer screamed in rage.

Killer charged at Carface and knocked the gun away, causing the revolver to go off and a bullet to strike an oil tanker nearby. As the tank exploded, it sent Killer flying into a wall where he was buried by shrapnel and rubble from the explosion.

Charlie and I continued to chuck fireballs in every direction we could think of, setting the entire ship ablaze and destroying the support wall. The entire ship began flooding, bringing a giant alligator in with the deluge.

"Charlie, Gavin, you need to calm down! This entire place is sinking!" Flo tried to reason.

 **"That bastard killed Anne-Marie! He's a dead man!"** I roared out demoniacally.

"She's not dead yet, but she will be if either of you don't calm down! You can still save her!" Flo pleaded to us.

Hearing her say that we could still save her snapped Charlie and I out of it and we looked at Flo. She was right, we could still save Anne-Marie and we needed to. We needed to save her no matter what. Charlie and I gave Flo a brief smile of gratitude and we took off running to find Carface.

* * *

Harold and Kate were asleep in bed when they were startled awake by the sounds of barking outside their house.

"Harold? What's going on?" Kate asked groggily.

"Hold on, I'll go check it out," Harold said and he got up, put on his robe and slippers, and walked downstairs to the front door. He peered through the glass, and much to his surprise, dozens of dogs were in his yard and on the porch, barking and yapping.

"What is it Harold?" Kate yawned as she walked down the steps.

"Dogs?" Harold said, confused, "Where the heck did they all come from?!"

Suddenly, a familiar dachshund with a green shirt and red ball cap came running up to the porch, carrying a familiar cross pendant necklace in his mouth. Seeing that necklace, Harold and Kate knew that something terrible had happened to Anne-Marie.

"Harold," Kate said out of concern.

"I know, let's hurry," Harold replied, opening the door to the let the dachshund in.

As Harold and Kate got into their car and pulled out of the driveway, they saw police cars speeding up behind them with their sirens on. Many other cars were on the road, heading in the same direction where the dogs were leading Harold and Kate.

* * *

Charlie and I saw Carface aiming around with his revolver and we crouched down, slowly getting closer in the hopes of disarming him. Charlie bumped into a crate by accident and we were forced to dive to the side to avoid getting shot. I ran over to Carface and grabbed the gun, slamming his paw into the wall and forcing him to drop the gun. I then kicked the gun into the water, threw him aside, and went to check on Anne-Marie. However, a dark and familiar voice rang through my mind, urging me to go after Carface instead.

 ** _"Administer justice, Gavin,"_** The Hellhound ordered.

My attempts to ignore the monster's voice in my head started to cause a massive migraine to form.

 ** _"Kill him, Gavin!"_** The Hellhound commanded loudly.

I grabbed my head and struggled internally, fighting the demonic urges that wanted me to kill Carface in an agonizing way. As I was fighting myself, I saw Anne-Marie slip off the ledge she was on and fall into the water, slowly floating away. I looked back and saw that Charlie was gripping his head and fighting against himself. We were both trying to go after Anne-Marie, but the demons in us were putting up a hell of a fight. No, we weren't going to let Anne-Marie die, we were going to save her. We weren't going to let the monsters inside us stop us from saving her. We weren't going to give in to hell and let it consume us.

* * *

 _I opened my eyes and saw that I was not only back in hell again, I was standing in a large boat, gagging from the disgusting smell of blood and burning flesh. I looked out across the pool of boiling blood and saw a large demonic humanoid creature with torn clothes, sharp claws and teeth rising up and climbing into the boat. I knew this monster, it was me, the part of me that had controlled my actions for far too long, but no more. I stood my ground while my demonic counterpart leered at me._

 _ **"I am your future. I am who you are,"** My demonic self declared._

 _"Never again, you son of a bitch," I vowed._

 _My demonic self roared and charged at me with its claws bared._

* * *

Carface ran forward and struck Charlie hard across his skull with a pipe, then he hit my ribs hard, making me gasp out for air. Carface kept hitting me with the pipe, the impact and the pain forcing me back. When Carface swung at my head, I grabbed the pipe and clocked him hard with a right hook and kicked him in the chest. Carface growled and swung at my face, but I ducked under the blow and retaliated with an uppercut. Carface took me off guard by spearing me into the broken railing.

* * *

It was chaos as dogs of all shapes and sizes led people through the streets of New Orleans. More and more people were waking up to hear the commotion and went outside, joining all the other people following their dogs, trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

"C'mon!" Itchy yelled as he climbed up on an old cannon. Itchy looked back to gesture the dogs to follow him, but screamed in terror when he saw other dogs climbing up the cannon, about to plow over him. Itchy scrambled into the barrel to prevent himself from getting trampled.

It was a complete madhouse.

* * *

I was thrashing and struggling while Carface held my head underwater. Charlie lunged at Carface and started biting the scruff of his neck, forcing Carface to let go of me and start struggling against Charlie. I threw my head up and started coughing and gasping for air, not noticing that my watch had fallen off my wrist. What I did notice was the giant gator swimming at me with its mouth open and I let out a cry of alarm.

* * *

 _I saw the Hellhound charging at me with its mouth open and I gouged out my demonic side's eyes with my claws, causing it to cry out in agony. It let me go, giving me the chance to dive out of the way to prevent myself from getting eaten._

* * *

I dove out of the way to narrowly avoid getting eaten by the gator. Carface grabbed me and pulled me down into the water. We thrashed around, struggling against each other until we crashed onto a ledge and I slugged Carface across his muzzle, avoiding a backfist that was thrown at me. I retaliated by sucker-punching Carface in the face, knocking him to the ground. Charlie ran over and kicked Carface in the stomach, but the pitbull quickly got up and clocked Charlie hard on the head with a broken pipe, then lunged at me, forcing me to grab his paws while Carface tried to stab me in the face with the sharp part.

* * *

 _My demonic self thrust a sharp rock at my face, but I grabbed its wrists and it pushed me backwards. I struggled to keep the monster from impaling my skull as it forced me to the ground but due to the constant fighting, I felt myself getting weaker. The sharp rock got closer to my face but I couldn't give up now, Anne-Marie put her faith in me and Charlie and told us that we were angels and I couldn't let her down. I felt a strength growing in me and I started pushing back the demon's wrists as it stared at me in disbelief._

 _ **"This is impossible! How the hell are you doing this?!"** The demon exclaimed in shock._

 _"This is what she always saw in me you bastard and I won't fail her!" I vowed. With a roar, I forced up the rock, turned it around, and drove it through the monster's skull._

 _The demon let out an agonized scream of defeat and everything around me disappeared in a flash of white light. At that moment, all the anger, the hatred, the darkness, and the emptiness in my soul disappeared and my love for Charlie, Itchy, Anne-Marie, Flo, my Father, and my Mother came flooding back stronger then ever. Charlie and I were no longer demons and no matter what hell did to us, we would never allow ourselves to be one._

* * *

I opened my eyes and saw myself forcing the pipe upwards. I quickly hit Carface with a right hook and shoved him into the broken ledge. Getting up, I grabbed the pipe that Carface had dropped and quickly pinned him to the ledge by stabbing his shirt to the floor as Charlie was recovering from the hard hit and walking over to me. We then turned away from Carface and looked at the ledge that Anne-Marie was on and we realized that it was sinking. Turning quickly to the ledge that our watches were dangling on, we saw them slip off and fall into the water. At that point, I knew our time was up but Charlie and I would be damned if we didn't get Anne-Marie to safety. We dived into the water and swam toward Anne-Marie. Hearing a commotion behind us, we looked back at Carface who had gotten free as soon as the gator smashed into the ledge and started dragging it into the water. At first a look of fear was plastered on Carface's muzzle, but then an expression of calm appeared and he looked at us.

"See you in hell, old friends," Carface said peacefully as the ledge was pulled under the water. The gator shot up and snapped its jaws closed on Carface's hind legs. He screamed in agony and terror as he was pulled under the water in a cloud of blood.

"Sooner then you think, partner," I said as Charlie and I approached Anne-Marie.

As we were getting close, I could somehow feel my watch was filling up with water, which told me that we didn't have much time left, but I didn't care. As long as we saved Anne-Marie, that was all that mattered. I grabbed Anne-Marie and laid her down on a door that was floating in the water. I was having trouble breathing and could feel what seemed to be water filling my lungs. Judging by Charlie's wheezing, he was feeling it too. We ignored it as we pushed the door across the rising water and to the hole that led outside. I noticed that the gator wasn't paying any attention to us and I concluded that it was enjoying its meal, not to mention that our demonic natures was scaring it away, which was good enough for us.

I felt my body starting to shut down, my legs slowing down, and my arms weakening but I didn't give up. Charlie and I wouldn't fail her no matter what, even if we had to fight death itself. Charlie and I let out a cry of defiance and we forced our legs to move as we pushed her to the hole in the side of the ship. I felt my heart slowing down and the watch slowing to a crawl. To hell with that, we weren't going to die yet. We would save her even if we were corpses. Charlie and I pushed the door through the hole and out into the bayou. I forced myself to hold on as my arms gave out. Charlie and I let out a roar as smoke came off our bodies, heating the water as we forced ourselves to keep pushing the door to the shore. I then felt my watch, my heart, and every function of my body stop.

When I felt all my body functions give out, my body stopped moving and my brain began to shut down. Charlie and I weren't going to let this happen. We wouldn't fail her, we would keep her safe. I growled in pain as I forced my heart to restart and kept moving, ignoring the sheer agony that ran through my body. None of it mattered. All that mattered was Anne-Marie. I felt a dark inferno washing over me, the Hellhound grabbed my soul, and started pulling it to the inferno. By God did I fight against it, I would fight against all of hell if it meant that Anne-Marie would be safe. Charlie and I needed just a little more time and after that, hell would take us but first, we had a little girl, our little girl to save.

"No! Not yet dammit! We can still save her!" Charlie cried out defiantly.

After a few seconds of hesitation, the Hellhound said, **_"So be it."_ **

I felt myself returning to my body and I looked to see that Charlie returned as well. We pushed the door to the shore and I could feel my body starting to shut down again. I forced my muscles to move and through sheer will, I kept kicking us to the shore despite none of my body functions working. Charlie and I grunted and roared in determination as our whole bodies screamed in agony. We ignored it and with one final push, the door started moving to the shore without our help and it took less then a minute to get there. We did it.

Charlie and I stared at Anne-Marie and we ran a paw and a hand through her hair gently.

"Anne-Marie, thank you...for believing in us," Charlie said softly. We put our paws and hands on the bullet wound and channeled our demonic energy, converting it into positive energy, and channeled it into her. As the energy washed over Anne-Marie, her wounds healed and we held her close as the sounds of sirens were fast approaching.

"You hear that Sweetie? Help is coming...we love you baby girl," I said gently.

Charlie and I smiled at the little girl that changed our lives for the better and our bodies gave out, the two of us collapsing onto the door and slumping on it lifelessly. Even though Charlie's body slipped off the door and sank into the water, I still held on, even though I was dead.

Charlie and I floated away from our bodies in a tunnel of darkness and saw the shadow of the Hellhound reaching out for us. I felt dread, knowing what was waiting for us, but I felt peaceful. Although we would be facing an eternity of suffering, we still did the right thing in the end, and no amount of torture would change that. Charlie and I looked at each other, nodded, and we looked back at the Hellhound and held our arms open in acceptance.

"Alright, we're all yours," Charlie said quietly and the Hellhound complied by reaching out with its claws and impaling us through the ribs.

Charlie and I gagged in agony as we were dragged through the darkness and into hell.

We fell onto a familiar boat that was moving through a river of blood and when we stood up and looked at the area around us, we heard someone we had hoped we would never have to hear again.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Charlie Barkin and Gavin McCall. Long time no see old friends," the voice said mockingly.

 _"Oh shit...please tell me that isn't who I think it is,"_ I thought in horror and when Charlie and I slowly turned around, the blood drained from my face when I saw Spike and Toodles sitting behind us with a look of sadistic glee on their muzzles.

"Spike...Toodles...nice to see you two again," Charlie said nervously and we gulped when we saw their eyes started to glow red.

"Will you look at that Toodles, they're happy to see us," Spike remarked.

"I know Spike, talk about a nice big reunion for The Rovers. Now that they're here, we have all the time in the world to catch up," Toodles said.

"Look fellas, I know we left you to die in the city pound, but maybe we can talk this over..." I tried to reason, but I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach when they started chuckling menacingly.

"Do you hear that Spike, they want to talk things over. What do you think?" Toodles asked.

"Nah, not interested, sorry," Spike said.

"Well, sorry Mac, but apparently Spike is not in a talking mood," Toodles said and they both started laughing psychotically.

"Wait! Look, I know things have been bad between us, but you don't have to do this," Charlie pleaded, only it fell on deaf ears.

"You know what we want to do? We want to slowly tear the flesh from your bones and feast on what is left. After that is done, you both will be brought back and we'll roast you alive and enjoy your agonizing screams. The best part about all of this, is that we have an eternity to play with the ones who ratted us out and we don't mean the fun kind of playtime we had in mind for you both. So welcome to your new and permanent home, cause we are going to enjoy breaking your minds over and over again for all of eternity," Spike said sinisterly and he and Toodles started approaching us menacingly.

 _"Oh God...someone save us from this hell,"_ I prayed but I knew that it was useless and terror gripped me when Spike and Toodles lunged at us.


	22. Chapter 21

New Orleans, Louisiana, June 7, 1939.

Flo moved across the beach with Killer as many humans and dogs approached the shore and police officers got out of their cars and started keeping the large crowd back as they all saw the ship in flames, sinking into the water.

"Flo!" A voice cried out and Flo turned to see Itchy and her pups running up to her.

"You're okay, thank God for that. Where's Charlie and Gavin?" Itchy asked.

"I don't know, I think they-" Flo started to explain but she was cut off.

"Hey! I see survivors!" someone exclaimed and a few people rushed into the water and pulled a door onto the shore.

Harold and Kate gasped in shock when they saw Anne-Marie sitting on the door with a man slumped face first on it. A doctor gently grabbed the man and turned him over onto his back to see if he was okay and Harold and and Kate saw it was Gavin, who was staring up at the sky with a blank look and his mouth slightly open.

"Sir? Sir, can you hear me?" the doctor asked.

Putting an ear to Gavin's chest and not hearing anything, the Doctor shook his head and said, "He's not breathing."

"Charlie...Gavin...oh God," Itchy said quietly as he lowered his head and started sobbing out of grief as one of the police officers wrapped a large blanket around Anne-Marie. Even after all of this, he was still too late, his friends were dead.

"Itchy, they're...they're gone, I can feel that Charlie's gone as well," Flo said sorrowfully.

"They died saving her Flo, they were still in there after all," Itchy stated with a hint of hope.

"I never stopped believing in them," Flo said with a tearful smile.

After Harold and Kate managed to convince the police officer that was blocking them that they knew Anne-Marie, they were let through and they immediately headed over to Anne-Marie to see if she was okay.

"Anne-Marie, thank Heavens you're okay. How is she?" Kate asked the Doctor.

"She's fine, she doesn't have any injuries. Do either of you know this girl?" the doctor asked.

"Yes we do," Harold replied.

"Okay, does she have anywhere to go? Any family that can take care of her?" the doctor questioned.

"Sadly...no, but we were planning to give her a home so that she would have a family," Kate explained.

"Well, since she doesn't have anywhere to go and you know her, she'll be placed into your care. But, you'll have to talk to the court for adoption papers," the Doctor informed.

"We will, thank you. Anne-Marie, are you alright?" Harold asked in concern.

"I'm okay..." Anne-Marie said in exhaustion.

"Come on, let's get you home so you can be nice and warm," Kate said as Harold gently picked Anne-Marie up and they headed to the car.

"Wait...where's Charlie and Gavin?" Anne-Marie asked weakly while she was carefully laid down on the backseat.

Itchy watched as Harold whistled and Flo, along with the pups went into the car. As Itchy got into the car, he could see Gavin being zipped up in a body bag and taken away in a truck. He thought about what was going to happen now. Charlie and Gavin were dead again and there was nothing that could be done about it, but he felt a sense of hope. Charlie and Gavin gave their lives to save Anne-Marie, which told him that their souls weren't a lost cause in the end. Charlie and Gavin beat Hell and the darkness within themselves and proved they were pure souls after all, which was good enough for Itchy. He would miss his best friends deeply, but at least he wasn't completely lost and his heart and soul remained intact and that meant that one day, Itchy would see them again. While Harold was driving back to 402 Maple Street, Itchy smiled as he felt faith for the first time in his life.

* * *

402 Maple Street, New Orleans, August 28, 1939.

It had been six weeks since the events of June 7th and Anne-Marie was living a happy life with her new family.

After Anne-Marie recovered, she was ecstatic when Harold and Kate told her that they were going to adopt her. After a couple of weeks in court, the Judge signed the papers and it was official. Even though she had a family now, Anne-Marie was sad that Charlie and Gavin weren't there to see it happen, but she knew that they would be happy for her.

Anne-Marie was sleeping in bed with Itchy and the pups while Flo was sitting outside and staring at the night sky, admiring the stars. She felt a great sorrow over Charlie and Gavin's deaths even if they had overcome their demons before it happened. They saved that girl and it was something that Flo took great pride in. Flo thought about Charlie and smiled as she could recall falling in love with him a long time ago and how they had some good moments together and she also remembered meeting Gavin, seeing him looking so lost under all that confidence. Unfortunately, that was in the past and perhaps it was for the best. Charlie and Gavin needed all of them to lead them to this point. The world worked in mysterious ways after all. As Flo watched the stars, a dark red light descended over the house and shone into the windows. In the clouds, Flo could see the shape of the Hellhound.

The dark red light emitted itself into Anne-Marie's room and the two broken souls of Charlie and Gavin appeared and looked at Anne-Marie with haunted expressions.

* * *

I kept staring at Anne-Marie, just completely broken from what Charlie and I been experiencing in Hell.

Even though it had been only six weeks in the mortal world, it had been fifteen years of pure Hell for Charlie and me. Spike, Toodles, and the Hellhound brutally tortured us in every method they could think of and when they ran out of ideas, they...defiled our bodies. Words could not describe what they had done to us and we had become completely broken. Charlie and I were here because we had made a deal with the Hellhound. We would agree to not put up a fight anymore if he would let us say goodbye to Anne-Marie. The Hellhound had agreed, but I honestly think he was doing it out of amusement and now, here we were, ready to say goodbye. Charlie and I were here in spirit only, floating through the room toward Anne-Marie, who was sleeping peacefully. We moved lifelessly to Anne-Marie's side and watched her breathe quietly. We were sobbing from all the trauma we had been through during our time in Hell, but didn't want her to see us like that, so we tried to pull ourselves together in case she woke up and could see us.

 **"Say what you must and depart,"** The Hellhound told us.

We nodded and I felt my sorrow growing. This would be the last time we would ever have a moment with anybody on this earth. There were others we wanted to talk to, but we were allowed only this moment with Anne-Marie.

"Oh Squeaker, we're so sorry for everything, we never should've hurt you. Everything we did was wrong. We should've let you go...let you stay here. We were so selfish and we hurt you for our own self-interests. You deserve better from us...from everything. At least now you're here where you belong...away from us," Charlie said hauntingly.

"He's right, we should've let you go but we didn't and now we're paying for it...may God have mercy on our souls," I chimed in, tears running down my face.

 **"Charrrrllliiiieeee, Gavvvviiiinnn, the longer you prolong this, the more painful it will be,"** The Hellhound warned us with impatience in his voice.

 _"Please God...I know I'm a piece of shit and I deserve this, but please, get us out of this Hell,"_ I prayed for any kind of mercy and prepared to say goodbye to Anne-Marie.

Suddenly, I saw a small glowing light closing in on the house. It entered the window and went straight to the Hellhound, flying right into him.

 **"No...you can't do this...they belong to me..."** The Hellhound growled weakly, as his image began to fade.

"No, they have proven themselves," the familiar voice of Annabelle said. The light glowed brighter from within him and he let out a final growl of anger as his apparition was vanquished back to Hell.

I was shocked at seeing the Hellhound disappearing in a flash of light and I looked to see that Charlie was shocked as well. But what was even more shocking, was that the small golden light was calling to us.

"Charlie, Gavin, you can come home now," Annabelle called out to us.

"But, you said that we could never-" Charlie tried to say in confusion.

"Charlie, you and Gavin gave your lives for Anne-Marie and did so knowing it would damn you. Neither of you belong there, come home," Annabelle said gently.

"What about Anne-Marie?" I asked.

"You can say goodbye," Annabelle said.

Charlie and I looked at each other, smiled, and looked back at Anne-Marie as the light shined on her, causing her to stir and open her eyes. At the same time, Itchy also stirred as I sat on the edge of the bed and Charlie hopped onto the mattress and we watched as Anne-Marie turned to look at us and Itchy looked before his eyes widened in shock.

"Charlie, Gavin," Anne-Marie said in surprise.

"Hi Sweetie, how are you doing?" I asked her with a soft smile.

"I'm alright, I have a family now," Anne-Marie answered.

"Yeah, we can see that you have a nice place here," Charlie told her.

I saw Itchy slowly head over to us and sit down, looking at us in awe.

"Charlie, Gavin, I didn't think I was ever going to see either of you again," Itchy said while he was smiling at us.

"Come on pal, you know you can't get rid of us that easily," I remarked wryly as I playfully patted his head.

"So, are you guys staying?" Itchy asked us.

"Sorry, we got somewhere else to be, but don't think for a moment that we won't be keeping an eye on you," Charlie replied with a sly grin.

"Neither of you can stay?" Anne-Marie asked us.

"No, this is your home, not ours. We're going to a new one, so we gotta be on our way soon," I explained.

"Will I ever see you two again?" Anne-Marie asked hopefully.

"Of course Sweetie, you know goodbyes aren't forever," I told her, gazing at the closest thing Charlie and I saw as family.

"Then goodbye you two, I love you," Anne-Marie told us and kissed Charlie on the nose, who smiled at the gesture.

"Yeah, we love you too," Charlie said softly.

Charlie and I got off the bed and walked over to the window before looking back at Itchy and Anne-Marie.

"Hey sweetie, make sure to look after Itchy. And Itch, you look after her," I told them.

"What makes you or Charlie think I need looking after?" Itchy asked with a smirk.

"Well, someone has to be the brains while we're gone. Don't worry, we'll resume our posts eventually," I remarked with a sly grin.

"I'm sure we will. 'Til we meet again fellas," Itchy told us.

Charlie and I smiled, nodded, and waved before we turned to the window and jumped into the light, letting it carry us back into Heaven.

 _"It's so beautiful,"_ I thought peacefully with a smile as we were flying upwards.

Looking down, Charlie and I saw Flo staring up at us and the three of us waved at each other until Charlie and I entered the clouds. As we were approaching the gates to Heaven, I somehow knew that this wasn't the end, but the start of something greater and only time will tell what would come next for us. But for right now, we would keep watching over our friends as they grew and found lives of their own until they would join us in the next life. I still didn't know if this would be our paradise, but Heaven would be good enough.

* * *

A/n Finally done. So, what did you think about the story? I would love to see your thoughts about it. If you think it's over, it's not. I'm planning on continuing Gavin's story in the second movie, the TV show, and the third movie. And then I'll end it all with a nice epilogue. Well, that's all I have to say so stay tuned.

P.s. Before I forget, I would like to dedicate this story as a tribute to Burt Reynolds, who passed away earlier this month. Thank you Burt for your incredible voice acting as Charlie Barkin and for doing your part in starting this series.


End file.
